Minutes and Mayhem
by Bluefeathermuse
Summary: "You in love with her or somethin?" Jinx poked her finger hard into his chest. Ekko's eyes widened and he held up his hands in defense, stepping away from her accusatory gaze. "What? No, no. Absolutely not. She's just got something I want. No, need."
1. Prologue

**Quick Info~**

Hello, League Community! I'm so excited to share my first League of Legends piece with you guys! I've been a part of this site since 2008, but recently discovered League in 2015. Jinx and Ekko are by far two of my favorite characters, and when I first got the idea for this story it refused to leave my brain until I wrote it. Since then, it's really become a labor of love - much like playing the actual game sometimes - and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it. If you have any comments, concerns, or just want to chat about the game, feel free to PM me or leave a review!

So without further ado, I present to you the Prologue of "Minutes and Mayhem."

* * *

"You in love with her or somethin'?" Jinx poked her finger hard into his chest.

Ekko's eyes widened and he held up his hands in defense, stepping away from her accusatory gaze. "What? No, no. Absolutely not. She's just got something I want. No, _need_."

Jinx crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight onto her right foot. "I've done a great job hiding from the fuzz, 'Boy-who-shattered-time.' I'm not about to give up my freedom just because Vi stole something."

"What if I make it worth your while?"

Ekko knew people like the back of his hand. Although Jinx was less coherent and probably more dangerous than most, manipulating her would be as easy as manipulating, well, time.

"You're always talking about how you need a new gun. I've got a way that you can get whatever gun you want," he said.

He could see the delighted mischief filling her eyes like fire and he knew in that moment he had her.

"You've got yourself a deal, Weirdo," she said.

Jinx extended her hand and, when Ekko grabbed it, he wasn't sure whether he had made the greatest decision of his life or one that would inevitably end it.


	2. Compromise

**Quick Info~**

Here is the first official chapter of "Minutes and Mayhem!" You guys finally get to see a glimpse of what Ekko's plan really is, and how Jinx is going to handle being his partner in crime. Just a small disclaimer: the lore for these two (and the rest of the folks in Ekko's gang) is pretty open-ended when it comes to their pasts and who exactly was involved in what/with whom. I also left it slightly open-ended, but there are definite implications made throughout this chapter and future chapters. I hope that you all enjoy this first chapter, though! And a HUGE thank you to everyone who checked this out/reviewed/favorited/followed! :)

* * *

"I don't know," Ekko said, shaking his head as he squinted at the pink, squiggly line drawn haphazardly on a map from Zaun to Bandle City.

Jinx frowned as she chewed the back of the pen and scanned the map with squinted eyes. "I can't think of an easier route. The Yordles don't care what we do as long as we don't mess with 'em."

"Yeah, but it just seems easier to try and take a boat out of Zaun, or even Piltover."

"And risk getting caught by Vi and Caitlyn's henchmen? Or undergo crazy experiments at the hands of Dr. Mundo?"

Jinx was staring at Ekko like he was an idiot. Upon further examination, he agreed that she was right…for once. But even if she was right, that didn't mean that he had to admit it.

"Sounds like that's right up your alley," he retorted.

Taking the pen from between her lips, Jinx stabbed the table with it firmly gripped in her fist. Then, she effortlessly flipped it between her fingers and began to rhythmically tap the map.

"Look, I don't have to help. I'm not getting my ass thrown in jail for you, no matter how many guns you're willing to buy me," she said.

Ekko raised his eyebrows at her and she sighed.

" _Fine._ Maybe I would for, like, three new guns. But the deal was one gun of my choosing, so we're either going through Bandle City or you can find yourself another person crazy enough to face off with Vi."

A lot could be said about Jinx. She was absolutely bat-shit crazy. Her idea of fun was blowing stuff up. She may or may not have been a victim of experimentation. But she wasn't one to be messed with, and Ekko knew that better than anyone.

" _Fine_ ," Ekko said, his voice drooping in defeat.

Jinx smiled devilishly and practically pounded on Ekko's shoulder with the palm of her hand. Definitely not the reassuring type, apparently. He rolled up the map and stuffed it in an old bag hanging loosely from his shoulder.

The pair originally met secretly after Ekko ran into Jinx at a bar in Piltover. She was overjoyed with the prospects of damaging the city in Vi and Caitlyn's absence. He, however, was less than thrilled to hear that his former lover had taken off right when she was within his reach. That was when Ekko struck the deal with Jinx, and she was more than happy to oblige him for a brand new weapon.

After forming their little ragtag team, discussing their plans out in the open in Piltover would be rather inconvenient. So they decided to retreat to Ekko's makeshift shack in the slums of Zaun. Being in Jinx's company was quite uncomfortable, but still strangely thrilling. Ekko was never sure if he was going to explode when she accidentally fired one of her two guns or if he was going to go insane listening to her blabber like a madwoman.

"We should probably get some supplies before we leave," Jinx said, lifting her head and staring at the sliver of polluted grayness that she could see through the curtains.

"You're probably right," Ekko suggested. "We could try and make it to the closest marketplace, but there's always a risk getting anything from there."

Jinx thought about it for a moment before nodding her head. "Now _that's_ right up my alley. Dodging chemicals to get food that's probably already poisoned? Totally Jinx."

She crinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue, but made no effort to retract her statement. Ekko took a deep breath and pulled open the tattered bed sheets he tried to turn into curtains. The stinging smell of chemicals and garbage instantly filled the damp room. Even though Ekko had lived in Zaun for his entire life, the smell hit him every time just as hard as it did the first time. Jinx, however, seemed unfazed, and walked right out into the open.

"Why don't you let me navigate the slums, sweetheart?" Ekko said, blocking his arm across her chest and taking a step in front of her.

Jinx sidestepped his touch and placed both hands on Fishbones, tilting the barrel towards him.

"I still know my way around here. And I'm not your 'sweetheart,'" she said menacingly, her bright pink eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

Ekko held up his hands in defense and thought quickly about jumping back in time to possibly save his life. But at his withdrawal, Jinx lowered her gun and flashed him a wide, teeth-baring smile.

"Don't get left behind!" she yelled, and took off into the gray haze.

Ekko smirked, feeling the familiar hype of adrenaline seeping into his veins. He took off after her smoothly, as if he was gliding through the air. If he wanted, he could easily try to stun her. But he was sure she would instantly turn on him if he tried anything like that. Besides, he already owed her for simply agreeing to come with him.

The decomposing skyscrapers blurred together in a monochromatic mess. Occasionally, Ekko could see flashes of Jinx's blue braids in the distance, but his vision was filled with smog for a majority of the time.

He wasn't sure which market she thought was the safest, or if she even put that into consideration. The odds of running into one of Twitch's poison shops were already pretty high.

Eventually, Ekko skidded to a stop, nearly knocking Jinx over with the force of his speed. She was standing with one hand on her hip, looking at him like she had been waiting for an eternity. But her heaving chest and wild eyes broke down her façade instantly.

"Hmm," Ekko said, looking inside the shop that she chose.

"Not up to your standards, Weirdo?" Jinx asked.

"Nah, I'm actually impressed. Not exactly where I would've chosen for food, but knowing you it could have been much worse," Ekko said, shrugging and casting her a mischievous grin.

Jinx surprisingly chose to ignore him and the pair entered the shop. For being inconveniently placed at the entrance to the slums of Zaun, the shop was surprisingly well kept. Not Piltover or Demacian well kept, but nice nonetheless. The shelves were lined with various canned foods, mixed in with different types of explosives and first aid items. It was basically a mosh pit of things that they could take on their trip.

"How did you know—?" Ekko started.

"Look," Jinx said, twirling the end of one of her braids in between her fingers. "If you think I've forgotten everything, I haven't."

For a brief moment, Ekko saw a different Jinx. The nameless, little lost girl that he remembered like she was more of a dream than a past reality. But just as soon as she appeared, she was gone again, and the real Jinx skipped off down another aisle.

After a few minutes of shopping, they met in the middle of the store to compromise on what to purchase. Ekko had grabbed a few essentials—some food, water, first aid, two pocketknives, and other miscellaneous objects. Jinx, on the other hand, spilled an entire backpack's worth of grenades on the ground in front of them.

"So, just pretend with me that we actually chose to only buy what you grabbed. Are you suggesting that we _eat_ these?" Ekko asked, unable to keep the harsh edge of irritation out of his voice.

"Of course not, Stupid," Jinx said. "We use these to _gather_ food! Chuck 'em at stuff and then steal all of the food inside."

"But if you blow it up then there won't be any food left."

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Ugh, fine." She unceremoniously dropped two granola bars on top of the pile of grenades. "Is that better?"

"…Sure," Ekko said flatly.

Jinx smiled widely at him. "Then it's settled. Give me the cash and I'll pay for it."

"I guess I can teach you sarcasm later. Anyway, let's put half of the grenades back. You can carry the rest in your pack. I'll handle the food and other little stuff. We won't have a ton of money left over, but I figured we'll be able to haggle for whatever else we want along the way."

Jinx frowned, but agreed, and Ekko brought their supplies to the counter. The cashier eyed him curiously, but it was pretty normal in Zaun to buy things that look like you're trying to get the hell out of dodge, so he didn't question it.

"Your girlfriend has quite the eye for explosives, Ekko," the man said, watching as Jinx browsed the rest of the bombs like a kid in a candy store.

"Yeah, she's sort of…not all there. And she's definitely not my girlfriend," Ekko said, digging through his pocket and dropping a small pouch of gold onto the counter.

"Are you leaving for good?" the man asked.

Ekko shook his head. "No, I'm just trying to get something back that belongs to me. It's sort of a big trip."

"Good. Word on the street is that Mundo is getting antsy and trying to take people to his laboratory in Noxus. I'd hate to see what happens to Zaun if you aren't around."

The man handed Ekko his change and helped him pack their supplies into the two backpacks. Ekko didn't know what to say in response. Ever since his ragtag team of pseudo-Robin Hood and the merry men disbanded, crime in Zaun was virtually uncontrollable.

"Thanks," he said, slinging the backpack over his shoulder. "Jinx! We're leaving. Grab your backpack."

Once they were outside, Ekko opened up the map again. "I'm trusting you about the Yordles. So that means that Noxus is the first major city we'll hit. Thankfully, crossing the boarder shouldn't be too hard. They like us well enough."

"Alright!" Jinx said, holding Fishbones and aiming upwards. "Let's go make Noxus a little less…organized."

Firing once into the air, she cackled maniacally, and began to run in the general direction of the bullet. Ekko followed suit, hoping that the Loose Cannon hadn't just completely lost it.


	3. Divulge

**Quick Info** ~

Hey everybody! The second chapter is officially here! I just wanted to thank everyone again who has been reading/reviewing/favoriting/following. And to the Guest who I won't be able to reply back to via PM, I promise the chapters will get longer. :) This one is about the same length as the last one, but expect twice to three times the length of this chapter in the near future. Some backstory in this chapter...hope you guys like it! And please don't forget to feel free to let me know what you're thinking. (positive or negative, I like to know how I can improve!)

* * *

"How long have we been walking?" Jinx whined, dragging her gun across the dirt.

"I don't know, let me just check my watch," Ekko said for the fiftieth time, looking down at his watch-less wrist. "It's about a hair past a freckle."

"That's what you said last time," Jinx said, frowning.

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's a freckle past a hair, now."

Jinx ignored his sarcasm and instead resorted to more babbling. "I thought this mission was going to be all high-stakes! Weapon-to-weapon combat. The two of us fighting for our lives. But just when you think we're going to lose, I bring out Fishbones and fire a giant rocket right into the enemy's face. And _KABLAM_ , there's blood and guts everywhere and we emerge from the smoke as war heroes."

Ekko couldn't help but laugh. She was so animated, acting out every move to a tee. He would take her psychopathic story telling over her insistent complaining any day.

"If we get attacked, you can fire as many rockets as you want, alright?" Ekko grinned, shaking his head.

Jinx seemed satisfied, at least for the moment, and the pair drudged on. The smoggy clouds covering Zaun cleared a few hours prior. They were a solid distance away from the city, almost to the Ironspike Mountains. Thankfully, travelers that made their way through the mountains had previously carved a neat walkway, so Ekko didn't have to worry about crossing treacherously high paths with a wanted criminal who would more than likely push him off the side of the mountain just to make things more interesting.

The mountains would surely have inlets of some sort to set up camp for the night, and Ekko had purchased a fire-starting kit. As far as he knew, encountering any foes wasn't likely. If they saw anyone, it would probably be someone from Noxus, or Anivia. But Anivia only occasionally resided higher up in the mountains and no one from Noxus would try anything funny.

"It's getting dark," Ekko said, looking up at the navy blue sky peppered with stars.

"Scared of the dark?" Jinx asked, her wide eyes scanning the sky fervently.

"Not exactly, but sleep is a thing that people do," Ekko responded.

Jinx giggled. "Duh! Just checking, 'cause if one of us is scared of the dark the other one needs to be strong for a little while."

Ekko watched her curiously for a moment, but she didn't seem to falter in step or word. He tried to remember back to when they were kids. That Jinx wasn't scared of the dark, was she? Hazy memories of a little girl sleeping significantly close to the older members of the group flickered in his mind. He thought it was just because she was young. It was what kids did to feel comfortable. But maybe….

"We'll camp here," Jinx said, pointing towards a small cave at the base of the mountain.

"We can go a bit further to cover less ground tomorr—"

"No," Jinx interrupted, stomping one foot in the dirt and crossing her arms over her chest.

Ekko felt his lips want to tug into a grin. She was scared.

He shrugged. "You can't complain about the distance tomorrow, then."

"Whatever, Weirdo." She shrugged back, a nervous, monosyllabic laugh escaping her lips in a pathetic attempt to sound casual.

Ekko began to unload his backpack once they made it to the campsite. Jinx was adamant about being the one to start the fire, so she was crouched over a pile of sticks, unsuccessfully attempting to light a match.

"So what kind of food would you like to risk being poisoned with?" Ekko asked, reading cans with labels scrawled lazily in black ink. "We've got beans, some sort of potato hash, and ravioli."

"I'll take the pillows stuffed with mystery meat," Jinx said, reaching for the can of ravioli.

"It's your funeral," Ekko said, shoving the remaining cans back into the bag.

"Alright, Mr. Fire, we can either do this the easy way or the fun way," Jinx said, standing up and glaring at the pile of sticks. "If you don't want to light, don't worry. I know exactly how to make you burst into flames."

"Whoa, wait. Jinx? What are you—" Ekko's eyes widened in horror as he watched Jinx pull an explosive from her backpack.

Lunging forward, he grabbed her arm before she was able to pull the pin out of the grenade. His entire hand could clasp around her puny forearm, and she struggled to wriggle out of his grasp to no avail.

"Aw c'mon!" Jinx said, yanking her arm away from him and rubbing it with her free hand.

"I'm not about to let you kill us over a damn fire," Ekko said. "Just go open up the cans for dinner. I'll handle the cooking."

Jinx muttered something under her breath, but complied. Ekko squatted next to the fire and began attempting to light a match. Back when he was part of the gang, he and his best friend, Ajuna, often found themselves taking care of menial tasks like lighting fires or patching clothes. Although Ekko much preferred the front-line action, spending time with Ajuna wasn't something he complained about. Now, he would give anything to spend every moment he could with his old friend.

The fire was slow to light at first, sputtering and reducing to dying embers until Ekko blew on them, but it eventually roared to life. Jinx brought back the cans and proceeded to pop hers open.

"Don't you want to cook it?" Ekko asked.

Jinx looked at the can as if she was trying to read the obviously nonexistent cooking instructions and then shrugged. "It goes down easier when it's clumped together like this."

She held out her can and motioned for Ekko to cheers her.

"Bottoms up!" she yelled, and tipped the can over her lips.

Ekko couldn't decide whether he was more grossed out or impressed. Regardless, he figured it would be bad if they both got poisoned, so he resorted to cooking his beans.

Jinx wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and let out a satisfied sigh. "So, Weirdo, I've got a request. And you have to agree since I'm your trusty tour guide."

"Oh yeah?" Ekko raised his eyebrows.

"Yup," Jinx said.

"Alright, this outta be good. Let's hear it," Ekko said, tipping the can of beans to his lips.

"So Anivia and I don't exactly get along. Some thing with me trying to fry her for breakfast when she was in her egg form, or whatever. Minor details. Anyway, she hangs out really close to here and if she sees me she's gonna flip."

Why wasn't Ekko surprised?

Dropping her voice to an eerily low whisper, she continued, "So we can't put the fire out tonight just in case we need to make an old fashioned flame thrower to protect ourselves."

"Jinx," Ekko said, sighing and looking her dead in the eyes. "It's okay to say that you're afraid of the dark."

"Me? Psh. Don't push your personal phobias on me, Ekk-oh-no-I'm-scared-of-the-dark. I'm just looking out for your safety." Jinx waved her hand at him, almost as if she was dismissing his statement physically.

"Okay, fine," Ekko said, deciding that there was no sense in arguing with a person who lacked it. "But if any of our stuff catches on fire, I'm using you as food or a human shield. Whichever need comes first."

Jinx nodded, and began to unzip her sleeping bag. It was a faded, dirty gray color with a giant, hot pink X spray-painted on it. Ekko's was a faded red color with brown patches sown in. He had used it as a bed for as long as he could remember and he wondered if Jinx's was the same, too.

"G'night," Jinx said, raising her fingers to her forehead and saluting him before disappearing under the covers.

"Night," Ekko said, poking the fire with a stick.

He wanted to sleep. Desperately. But thoughts of their mission—of Ajuna—were running rampant in his mind. They were just goggles. Regardless of whom they belonged to, regardless of the fact that they were the only thing Ekko had left of him, they were still merely a physical object. Nothing would bring Ajuna back. And would Ajuna really have wanted Ekko to risk his life for something so small?

Ekko looked over at Jinx. Her mouth was wide open with long, drawn out snores emitting from it every once in awhile. She was as sprawled out as she physically could have been given the restrictiveness of the sleeping bag. He wondered if maybe a little part of her—the part of her that was still Zaun—was helping him for more than just a free weapon. Part of him hoped that she missed Ajuna, too, and wanted to help retrieve the last memory of him.

Despite the echo of wind through the mountains, the air was relatively dry. It made Ekko's eyes hurt. Tiredness combined with slight dehydration didn't make for the greatest night shift, and Jinx's snores were lulling him to sleep. He was sure no one would attack them. And even if they did, he could use his Zero Drive to make sure they weren't caught off guard.

Deciding to call it for the night, Ekko set up his sleeping bag next to Jinx and crawled inside. He watched the shadows from the flames dance on the ceiling of the cave until sleep finally dragged him under.

* * *

"Told you they were probably shacking up together."

Ekko startled awake at the sound, furiously blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

It was bright—really bright—and the figures peering over them were too dark in comparison to the sun for Ekko to see them clearly. Shielding his eyes from the light, he squinted until the two figures were in focus.

"Tell me, Ekko. Is she as explosive in the bedroom as is she on the battlefield?" Katarina laughed, and Garen joined her.

Jinx groaned and stretched, clearly roused from the noise. It was then that Ekko realized that she had been sleeping _on_ him. It didn't take her long to realize it, too, and she shoved him away from her.

"Blech! Gross! Taking advantage of a sleeping lady like that is _nasty,_ Ekko!" Jinx exclaimed, furiously brushing off her skin like he had gotten some sort of germs on her.

Ekko ignored her and focused his attention on his confusion as to why a Demacian and a Noxian were traveling together. "I could ask you the same, and figure that you think enemies make excellent lovers, eh Kat?"

Kat scowled. "I could've slit your throat, street boy."

Ekko shrugged. "But you didn't. So let's get right to the point. What are you doing here?"


	4. Unlikely Alliance

**Quick Info** ~

I sort of left you guys with a mini-Cliffhanger last time, so I hope this chapter more than suffices in solving that! Huge shout out to everyone who's been checking this out! :) You guys make my day and I'm so happy that we can all geek out about League together. Not much to say in terms of this chapter, but it's a little humorous, while still furthering the plot. Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

"We were sent by our nations to retrieve a deadly weapon undergoing research in Zaun's labs," Garen said, unfazed by Ekko's sexual accusations.

"Pebble-brain over here thought it would be a good idea to crush the poison in between his grubby, sausage fingers when he saw me coming for it," Katarina said, jabbing a thumb in Garen's direction.

"A Demacian would rather die than have his name soiled by Noxus scum."

"Anyway, Twitch was kind enough to leave a tip that there's more poison in the Shurima desert. I just haven't been able to shake this oaf since we left Zaun."

"So are you or aren't you bumping uglies?" Jinx interrupted.

Katarina and Garen both stared at her, and Ekko was sure that Jinx was going to be slaughtered right on the spot.

"Beat the ham? Frickle frack? Do the do?" As Jinx continued her list of grossly inappropriate slang, Katarina seemed to be growing more and more furious. "Alright, I can be more proper. _Make love_?"

"Absolutely not," Garen said sternly, but Jinx seemed unconvinced.

"Your loss then, bud, cause anyone who yells the name of their country that frequently would be lucky to bang Kat." Jinx waggled her eyebrows in Katarina's direction.

Ekko stood up and, although thoroughly stunned by Jinx's bluntness, began to pack up camp.

"What are you two doing all the way out here…together?" Katarina asked, ignoring Jinx as she continued to tease Garen.

"Trying to get to Bandle City," Ekko said.

"I wouldn't go there right now," Katarina said. "Bilgewater is in the middle of a full-scale civil war, and the Yordles are the unfortunate bunch caught in the crossfire."

"Yeah, well, we need to take a boat to Bilgewater, and if they're already pillaging Bandle City, it shouldn't be too hard to convince someone to take us as stowaways."

"Who in their right mind would let _that_ onto their ship?" Katarina asked, nodding towards Jinx.

"Miss Sarah Fortune owes me a favor. I was hoping to run into her there," Ekko said, shrugging.

"I doubt that's the type of favor she had in mind," Katarina mumbled. "Anyway, are you heading to Noxus first?"

Ekko nodded. "Yeah, to get more supplies and maybe find someone who would be willing to take us to Bandle City. Jinx isn't exactly the most knowledgeable guide."

"Well I can walk with you for a bit, if you want," Katarina suggested.

Ekko nodded. "Someone sane to talk to for awhile would be nice."

Once they finished packing, the temporarily formed group began their trek for the day. Jinx found herself an interesting spot on top of Garen's shoulders, convincing him that if any Noxian spies were around, she would be the only one who could spot them to blow them up. Katarina and Ekko trailed slowly behind, just out of earshot.

"Does Garen really shout 'Demacia' when he finishes?" Ekko asked, unable to contain his laughter at the thought.

"Of course not!" Katarina said, feigning offense. "But he is rather loud. In all my years of hating Demacians, I never thought I'd end up in bed with one."

"Fate is pretty weird I guess," Ekko said.

"So you really think Ajuna's goggles are worth what you might be sacrificing?" Katarina asked.

"I don't know, but you know better than anyone how important loyalty is. Ajuna deserves peace. I couldn't save him; the least I can do is make sure no one messes with his stuff."

Katarina nodded, completely understanding his logic. She would risk her life for her people. She did, on many occasions.

As the hours passed, the group walked in silence for a while, bracing themselves as the wind kicked up painful dirt particles. Jinx seemed unfazed, however, and continued to enthusiastically perch on Garen's shoulders. She'd grip fistfuls of his hair and pretend to steer him like a horse, much to his irritation, but he wasn't quick or gentle enough to throw her off without completely crushing her in his giant hands.

"Ekko," Garen started.

"Hmm?" Ekko smirked when he heard the thick twinge of annoyance in Garen's voice.

"I'm not about to question your methods of accomplishing things, but I don't know why you included _this_ ," Garen said, pointing at Jinx.

Garen proceeded to spin around and face Ekko, knocking Jinx's grip in his hair loose. The sudden movement was exactly the leverage that Garen needed to toss Jinx off of his shoulders and back onto the ground.

Jinx screamed and flailed dramatically off of Garen. Instinctively, Ekko held out his arms and ducked down. He scooped her up bridal-style, watching in horror as his actions betrayed his thoughts.

One of her hands rested on his chest and the other gripped his shoulder tightly. Ekko felt his hands hold her tighter for a moment, as if he was genuinely afraid she would have fallen and hurt herself. She stared up at him with big, pink eyes, and he swore he could see the crazy drain right out of them.

It felt like he held her for an eternity before she snapped out of her trance and went back to being disgusted by him. Pushing hard against his chest, she slipped out of his grasp and landed on the ground, spluttering and brushing herself off.

"Kitty Kat and Big Boy's pheromones over here are making it a little hard to think," Jinx muttered, jabbing her thumb in Katarina and Garen's direction.

Katarina stared at Ekko, who shrugged in response. Jinx stood up and rubbed her cheeks hard with the palms of her hands. Shaking her head, she bounded out in front and reached for Fishbones.

"What are you doing?" Garen yelled, dashing forward to grab the gun out of her hand.

"Stand back unless you want to die!" Jinx yelled back, smiling devilishly as she loaded the gun.

Katarina lunged forward and caught Garen's hand just as he was about to rip the weapon away from Jinx. Ekko stood back, momentarily stunned. When he came to, he began to charge up the Zero Drive, deciding to tempt fate in case anything bad happened. If he was being honest with himself, he should have already flipped the switch. But somewhere deep down, the adrenaline he felt whenever Jinx got violent—the type of adrenaline he felt when he was part of the gang, before Ajuna died and before he swore off unnecessary violence—was bubbling like hot lava in his blood.

Jinx fired, and the explosion that followed kicked back enough dirt to make a small dust storm. Katarina and Garen crouched down, bracing themselves against the smoke, shells, and dust. Ekko watched further back, squinting into the distance to try and figure out why Jinx went ballistic.

The smoke eventually dissipated, leaving a dirty, panting Jinx in the middle of a freshly cleared path. A few feet away, three sand speeders, completely unscathed, lay toppled over. Their riders, however, had been ruthlessly gunned down.

Jinx turned around and smiled. "Using Big Boy as my personal transportation system wasn't an option anymore, and walking the whole way to Noxus would be so _boring_."

"She's beyond insane," Katarina said hoarsely.

Ekko couldn't keep the grin off of his face. It was like Jinx carried her own personal supply of contagious crazy. It radiated off of her in waves and the more time Ekko spent with her, the more he felt like he couldn't always think straight.

"Definitely," Ekko agreed.

Jinx dashed towards the speeders, kicking one of the bodies out of her way. She straddled a vehicle, revving the engine and cackling. Ekko, Garen, and Katarina followed suit.

"If you think I'm riding with you, you've got another thing coming," Katarina said, grabbing her own speeder and flicking her hair behind her shoulders.

"Guess that leaves you as a passenger," Garen said, taking the last speeder.

Ekko frowned. "Seriously, guys? This was my mission. You're all just accessories."

"Ah c'mon!" Jinx said. "Don't be such a little baby, Weirdo."

Ekko slumped his shoulders in defeat, weighing the pros and cons of his possible riding partners. Katarina was the best choice, but he wasn't sure if she was going to go all the way to Noxus with him. He would never forgive himself if Garen got the special poison from the Shurima Desert first because of him. Riding with Garen would be safer than Jinx, but with significantly less room. Ekko wasn't sure if he could even wrap his arms all the way around the massive barrel that was Garen's chest. He sighed, knowing that Jinx was his only realistic option from the start.

Jinx patted the seat behind her excitedly. "Try not to be a perv when you hold onto me, okay?"

"As long as you try not to purposely kill us," Ekko retorted.

"You really don't get me yet, do you? I'm not _that_ crazy that I want to die. Duh," Jinx said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Ekko straddled the speeder behind Jinx, wrapping his arms around her bony frame. Her skin was hot like fire, but as smooth as cream. He was never sure why she chose to wear such minimal clothing, but then again, growing up in the slums of Zaun didn't exactly teach one the latest fashion trends.

"Hold on tight!" Jinx yelled, revving the engine and stepping on the gas with all of the strength her leg possessed.

The speeder kicked back, popping up onto one wheel for a moment. Jinx screamed enthusiastically as the front wheel hit the sand and sped forward. Garen and Katarina followed with significantly more elegance.

"Wanna race, pretty kitty?" Jinx yelled.

"You're on!" Katarina yelled back, tightening her grip on the handlebars.

Exhaust sputtered from the engine as Jinx handled the clutch, and Ekko nearly fell backwards at the sudden burst of speed. Katarina was already significantly ahead of them.

Ekko could barely see through the dust and face full of braids whipping the sides of his cheeks every few seconds. He felt himself pulling closer to Jinx the faster the speeder went. Part of him wished that he had chosen to be Garen's passenger, as he was leisurely tooling around behind them. But another part of him, the part heavily influenced by Jinx's presence, wanted to beat Katarina's ass into the ground.

Eventually, the rebel inside of him took completely over. "If you can get a little bit closer to her, I'll help us win," Ekko said, his breath hot against Jinx's ear.

She nodded, giggling like an idiot as she took a hard right in Katarina's direction. Ekko tensed his thighs, making sure that he wasn't going to fall off as he let go of his grip on Jinx and reached for his Parallel Convergence. Holding it tightly in his hand, he stood up ever so slightly on the speeder. Jinx wasn't slowing down and Katarina was completely oblivious, so Ekko only had one shot.

Throwing the Parallel Convergence, he watched as Katarina's speeder stopped moving. He heard her scream angrily and yell something along the lines of "cheating bastard," but her voice was muffled in the distance Jinx was quickly putting between them and her.

"Aw hell yeah!" Ekko said, pumping his fist in the air.

"Woo!" Jinx yelled back, tilting her head and popping another wheelie.

Katarina and Garen caught up after a few moments. Garen looked positively smug and Kat was less than thrilled. The skyscrapers of Noxus were finally visible in the distance and the sun was slowly beginning to set. By the time they eventually made it, it would be too dark to continue traveling.

The group stopped their speeders momentarily, coming together to discuss a plan of action.

"Obviously we're going to have to set up camp for the night," Ekko said, reaching for the tattered map in his backpack.

"A Demacian wouldn't be caught dead using Noxus' hospitality services," Garen said firmly.

Katarina scoffed. "As if a Noxian would even let you into the city without an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs."

"I'm not going to pass up sleeping in a real bed for the night just because Romeo and Juliet hate each other's cities so much," Jinx said, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly.

"I can't risk Garen getting the poison first," Katarina said. "But I don't want to spend the night out here when I would be welcomed with open arms and real food in Noxus."

"So it seems either you're going to have to sacrifice your war-hero welcome, Kat, or we're going to have to sneak Garen into the city somehow," Ekko said.

"I have the perfect plan," Jinx said, tilting her head and scratching her chin in thought. "You're going to have to ditch the Demacian armor though, Garen."

Garen opened his mouth as if he was about to protest, but Jinx cut him off.

"Just for the night, geeze. Safety blanket, much?" Jinx teased.

"A bed and food would be nice, even if it won't compare to those in Demacia," Garen said, hanging his head humbly in defeat.

"Did Kitty bring any makeup?" Jinx asked, scooping up a handful of white sand and rubbing it in between her hands until it was a fine powder.

Katarina nodded and pulled out a tube of red lipstick.

Ekko eyed her incredulously and she shrugged. "I can pretend to hate him, but that doesn't mean he needs to see what I look like in the mornings," Kat said.

Jinx motioned for Garen to duck down, and he complied. Smoothing his hair back, she added touches of the white powder throughout his hair until it looked as though he had streaks of grey. Next, she grabbed the lipstick and held her thumb out, covering half of Garen's face like she was some sort of artist. Drawing a fine line vertically from the top of his eyelid to the start of his cheek, she created a fake-looking scar.

"Just don't rub your face at all or we're screwed," Jinx said.

Katarina's face went from confused to amused almost instantly. She tried but failed to cup one hand over her mouth to contain her giggles. Ekko's eyes widened and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Garen," Jinx said, holding up his perfectly shined chest plate as a mirror. "Start answering to the name Darius."

Garen's jaw practically dropped to the floor and Ekko was sure he was about to rip Jinx to pieces. Instead, he closed his mouth and eyed Katarina slyly.

"It won't be too hard to act like the second biggest narcissist in Runeterra," he said.

Katarina shrugged. "If you're too narcissistic they might catch on. Darius owns it. If you mess this up for me, I'll slit your throat right on the spot."

"I can't believe you did that," Ekko said to Jinx.

"I've been sayin' for years that they look more like brothers than Darius and Draven do," Jinx said.

"Here's the plan," Katarina said. "If the gate guards buy that this is Darius—which they should, since the real Darius isn't in Noxus right now—then all you two need to do is follow us."

"And then we're living in luxury!" Jinx said.

Katarina nodded. "As long as you don't pose a threat to anyone, you can have all the luxury you want for the night."


	5. Ain't No Party Like a Draven Party

**Quick Info~**

Hey guys! This chapter is long, comedic, and filled with lots of second hand embarrassment. You have been warned. ;) I like to think that Ekko can't accomplish anything without getting into some sort of trouble - mostly thanks to Jinx - and this chapter is no exception. And dragging Katarina and Garen dressed like Darius into the mix is basically just asking for something to go wrong. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Please don't hesitate to let me know what you're thinking, what I can improve on, what you liked, etc. And thank you lovely readers/reviewers/favoriters/followers!

* * *

The gates of Noxus were extremely tall, extremely thick, and made out of the strongest metal in Runeterra. Guards lined the boarder in perfect soldier formation, rows one after the other. The city was dark, a lot like Zaun, but lacked the burning smell of chemicals and general chaos. Ekko wasn't sure if he felt more or less safe. Jinx was smiling mischievously as she stared up at the buildings, no doubt thinking of ways to make the city significantly less organized.

Katarina led the group with Garen close behind, and Ekko and Jinx trailed slightly further back. The second they neared the city, Katarina's attitude completely changed. She straightened her posture, smoothed out her hair, and clenched her hands into tight fists at her sides. The soldier within her must have been bred to come out if she was anywhere near the vicinity of Noxus.

"Guards!" Katarina called, her voice powerful and commanding.

The guards stood at attention the moment they recognized her, shuffling out of the way in sync for her to pass.

"Katarina, Darius," one guard said, nodding to the pair.

"Ekko and Jinx are from Zaun," Katarina said, turning around to motion to them. "They are here to help Darius and I with an incredibly important mission."

The guard hesitated for a moment, looking Jinx up and down. She put her hands behind her back and whistled nonchalantly, as if to seem innocent. Ekko rolled his eyes at her antics, but remained silent.

"But Jinx, ma'am," the guard protested.

"I see my reputation precedes me," Jinx whispered loudly, waggling her eyebrows at the guard.

Katarina held up her hand. "This is a direct order from Swain. Despite Jinx's interesting behavior, he trusts her. Do you want to take it up with him?"

It looked as though it was taking every ounce of his self-control to avoid challenging her claim. With his eyes locked on Jinx, he responded gruffly, "Open the gates."

Metal chains clanged together and sparks flew off of the large gate as it scraped against the ground. The inside of the city looked just as powerful and terrifying as the outside, and even more so as the gates continued to open.

Noxus was a city built within a mountain. The closer one got to the top, the more likely they were trespassing on a noble's property. It was like a pyramid of power. Weaklings were forced to grovel at the bottom underneath the boots of those more powerful. Power was the key to living a successful life in Noxus, and Katarina's family had certainly earned that right.

Ekko remembered talking with Vi about Noxus once, back when the gang was just starting to recruit members. She talked about the city like it was some sort of fantasyland. Living in a magical, tall mountain where everyone is strong enough to protect themselves. Where it didn't matter how much money you had as long as your fists could punch hard enough. And where they could finally go to be free.

Ekko couldn't help but smile at the memory. He agreed with Vi at the time, but now she was creating her own legacy in Piltover and he was, well, still chasing after her and a million memories of the past.

"So the plan is to lay low until we get to my estate," Katarina said. "Especially you, Gar—Darius. A lot of people are going to want to talk to you, and, if you even _think_ that you see Draven, you run. Got it?"

Garen nodded, ducking his head down low as if that would somehow shield his massive body.

"Ekko, watch Jinx. I'm not responsible for anything that happens to her, but I will be responsible for whatever happens _because_ of her," Kat ordered.

"No promises, but I'll do what I can," Ekko said, shrugging.

When the group reached the base of the mountain, it was teeming with soldiers. They seemed particularly scary, although particularly untrained at the same time. It was safe to assume that they were probably grunts, each working his or her way to the top. Ekko couldn't help but wonder if Vi would have taken this lifestyle in stride—constantly being compared to her peers and never allowed any creative license outside of the city laws.

A black cart that could only be described as some sort of menacing trolley or cable car stopped at the base of the mountain. It was connected to a line of wire, spiraling all the way to the top of the mountain. Another guard was waiting inside with his hand firmly on the lever.

Katarina stepped inside and motioned for the others to follow. "You can walk if you'd prefer," she deadpanned when the others hesitated to follow.

They piled into the cable car, squeezing dangerously close in each other's personal space. Garen stayed as far away as possible from the guard, probably praying to some Demacian deity that he didn't get executed on the spot if someone recognized him. Jinx was hanging her head outside of the car like an excited puppy, watching the wires above them whisk it along.

"Miss Du Couteau," the guard said, motioning towards the estate a few feet away.

The cable car slowed to a sudden stop, knocking Jinx and Ekko off balance. Out of the corner of his eye, Ekko could tell that the guard was trying to stifle a smirk. Although Noxus and Zaun were allies, it was undoubtedly certain that Noxus viewed themselves in a more dominant light. And, in almost all cases, rightly so.

"No one should be home. Convenient," Katarina said through her teeth.

She was growing considerably tenser as the seconds passed. She was smuggling one of Noxus' greatest enemies disguised as one of their greatest soldiers. And for what? Even if it was to ensure her homeland had the biggest and most lethal new weapon, most wouldn't view it that way. Garen and Katarina had more than their fair share of intimate rumors circulating about them. Allowing him into her home would not only confirm those rumors, but also simultaneously destroy the Du Couteau name.

"Don't sweat it," Jinx said, linking arms with Kat. "I'm the greatest makeup artist around. No one will know."

Katarina slipped out of Jinx's grasp. "You better hope so, or I'll snap your chicken legs in half."

"Promise?" Jinx teased, grinning widely.

Katarina rolled her eyes and pushed past the group. When she reached the front door, she began to tap out the complicated entrance passcode on a keyboard next to a giant glass window.

After a single loud beep, the door automatically opened and Katarina quickly ushered Garen inside. The ceiling in the entryway was so tall that even the massive chandelier hanging from it looked puny in comparison. The entirety of the décor was black and white, with a surprising amount of breakable objects despite Katarina's knife-flinging tendencies.

Jinx flopped on one of the black leather couches in the living room, stretching out and smiling contently. Garen sat rigidly on a chair covered in some sort of white animal fur, as if he was afraid that merely touching something that belonged to a Noxian would poison him.

"So we're just going to stay here for the night?" Ekko asked, crossing his arms and holding them tightly, like the amount of space in the house was making him feel even more alone.

"Yes," Katarina said shortly, before disappearing up the flight of stairs.

Jinx sat up and smiled mischievously the second she heard a door close behind Katarina. "When the cat's away, the mice will play!" she exclaimed, rubbing her hands together like some sort of evil mastermind.

"No," Ekko said firmly. "You were pretty adamant about not ending up in jail, and I have a feeling that jail in Noxus is significantly worse than other places."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Jinx asked, waving away Ekko's words with her hand.

"Jail," Ekko said again, matter-of-factly.

Jinx groaned loudly and walked towards Ekko, grabbing the collar of his shirt in her fists.

"How many times are you going to get to spend the night in the lap of luxury? Don't you want to at least explore?" Jinx asked, her eyes darting around his face expectantly.

"Katarina was nice enough to let us stay here. We shouldn't push it," Ekko said, taking Jinx's hands off of his shirt and putting them back at her sides.

"Whatever," Jinx muttered.

"I'm going to make sure she's alright," Garen said suddenly, standing and awkwardly shuffling towards the staircase.

"Ekko," Jinx said as soon as Garen was out of earshot. "They're obviously about to start breaking some rules. She's pretty much giving us permission on a silver platter, here!"

"No. It's not worth the risk," Ekko said firmly, narrowing his eyes at Jinx in a pathetic attempt to look intimidating.

Jinx slumped her shoulders and stuck her bottom lip out into a fat pout. "Fine. I'm going to check out the bathroom, then."

Ekko sat on the couch and waited for Jinx to return. He stared at the portraits framed above the fireplace. A man who was undoubtedly Katarina's father was the portrait in the middle. He was stern-faced and proud, with his chest puffed out and the Noxian symbol proudly pinned to his suit. A portrait of Kat was hanging on the left. It was slightly smaller, but Ekko couldn't believe how different she looked. The scar on her left eye was gone and her red hair was tied up neatly into a bun. She wore the same stern expression as her father.

"Jinx? Did you fall in?" Ekko called after a few minutes.

No response. Worry seeped into Ekko's stomach in a slow, thick stream as he realized what she probably did. Rushing to the bathroom door, he yanked it open and found his fears were true. She was gone.

Cliché theatrics were always Jinx's style, and this charade was no exception. She left the bathroom window cracked open, with the curtains rustling in the wind. A giant "X" was spray painted in neon purple on the mirror. Ekko wanted to scream and wring her neck. But, not wanting to alert Katarina and Garen, he quietly slipped out of the window to try and track her down.

She hadn't been gone that long. Ekko was sure he could find her before anyone realized she was missing. And, if the rumors were true, Garen and Katarina would be busy for quite awhile.

When Ekko reached the base of the property, the cable car was nowhere to be found. However, another "X" was painted on the sidewalk with an arrow pointing down. This wasn't an ordinary escape. Jinx wanted Ekko to follow her. He grumbled incessantly under his breath, angry with himself that he let her win again, and angry with her for doing it so easily.

Walking down the mountain would take forever and he didn't have the time or means to wait for the cable car to come back. He glanced up at the wire and felt a grin begin to spread across his lips. The familiar rush of adrenaline was back again, and he willingly embraced it. He jumped, grasping the wire with both hands as he pulled himself up on top of it.

Steadying himself, he crouched and held out his arms to either side of his body. Pushing ever so slightly, he began to pick up speed, the friction from the wire hot against his shoes. He scanned the area for any other signs of Jinx's signature as he rushed down the mountain.

Thankfully, it wasn't too long until an X appeared. He was less than halfway down the mountain at this point, still in the nobles' neighborhood. He jumped off of the wire and landed pretty sloppily, losing his footing and falling to the ground.

Brushing himself off, he followed the trail of X's becoming frequently regular. The houses in this part of the mountain resembled more of a community than single estates scattered about. When Ekko finally found Jinx's location, he wanted to strangle her with more intensity than ever before.

A giant X, freshly painted by the way it glistened in the moonlight, was on the door of an extremely loud house. The bass was pumping out of the walls in waves, so much so that Ekko almost felt himself having to push against it to walk forward. He couldn't think of anything more chaotic for Jinx to take part in.

When he opened the door, everyone in the party cheered loudly. Upon further examination, he realized that the cheering wasn't for his entrance. In fact, no one even realized he came inside.

To his dismay, he quickly found the source of the drunken partygoers' cheering. He watched with horror as Jinx swung on top of a chandelier, cackling madly and bowing for her audience.

"Weirdo!" she called, her voice barely audible over the loud music.

Waving at Ekko, she almost lost her balance, teetering on the edge of the chandelier. The crowd gasped but she quickly regained her footing, flipping one braid behind her shoulder and earning another rowdy cheer.

"Get down!" Ekko yelled, pushing past waves of people until he was standing almost directly underneath the chandelier.

Jinx shrugged. "Catch!" she yelled, and unceremoniously fell backwards off of the chandelier.

Ekko wanted to just walk away. Every fiber of his being was telling him not to catch her. But his instincts acted entirely separate from his better judgment. It was probably the reason he couldn't shake his attachment to them. All of them. Vi, Jinx, Ajuna, and even Caitlin on occasion. His mind reminded him that this was weakness, but his heart was in a completely different place. So when Jinx's body finally made contact in his arms, his mind instantly wanted to drop her. But he couldn't.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked, his voice lacking the powerful venom he was trying to push out. Instead, he sounded too concerned.

Jinx raised her eyebrows at him and smiled devilishly. "Worried about me, eh?"

Ekko scoffed. "Hardly. But if you die, my mission turns to shit."

Jinx hopped out of his arms and grabbed a cup out of the hand of a party guest walking by. "Now that you're finally entertaining, drink this."

"What is it?" Ekko asked, taking the cup from Jinx and staring at the mysterious pale liquid.

Jinx shrugged. "That's the fun part. We don't know!"

"Jinx," Ekko said, sighing. "We need to—"

His words were interrupted by what looked like some sort of physically visible sound wave. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut and then rearranged his insides. His feet tingled and his arms refused to stay put at his sides, like every fiber of his being was getting thrown into dance. But it felt good.

When Ekko turned to the source of the reaction, it made perfect sense. Sona had a gift for manipulating people physically through music. It was a talent not many possessed and, despite the fact that she was adopted into Demacian culture, Swain loved her music enough to make her eligible for entrance into Noxus.

As soon as the bass dropped, Ekko felt strangely lightheaded. His vision blurred, pulsing around him in synchronization with the music. He could make out Jinx's toothy grin and the cup that she was still holding out for him.

A small part of him remembered that they had something important to do, that he shouldn't drink something if he didn't know what it was, but that part was fading fast. The louder the music got, the more Ekko wanted to take the drink.

So he did. He sipped it at first, feeling his throat burn as the liquid passed through his lips. Then he tipped the cup back, letting the rest slide down his throat like he hadn't had anything to drink for days. He felt warm and alive, his head muddled with the beat of the music, the alcohol, and, strangely enough, _Jinx._

"Let's dance," he said suddenly, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears.

Jinx looked momentarily surprised, but quickly complied. She dragged him to the makeshift dance floor set up in what was probably the living room on a regular day. People Ekko recognized and people he didn't were moshed in the center, rubbing up against each other like they were all under the same spell. Under normal circumstances, Ekko would have felt out of place. But with everything that he had consumed, physically and visually, their movements were intoxicating to watch. Jinx quickly joined, flailing her arms around like a madwoman, but still managing to keep rhythm.

She soon turned to face Ekko, steadying herself as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her eyes were glossy and large, but not their usual way. She seemed like she was actually focusing on him. Just him.

"Weirdo," she said, her voice cutting through the volume of the music like a knife.

"What?" Ekko asked, his hands resting on her hips out of habit, or intoxication, or both.

"You're welcome," she said.

Ekko laughed. "For what?"

"For forcing you take the giant stick out of your ass and have fun for once. Duh!" she said, crinkling her nose at him in a very non-Jinx manner.

"Then, you're welcome, too," Ekko said, feeling his heart start to race as his brain tried to take back the control he was rapidly losing.

Jinx laughed loudly. "You didn't do anything."

"Not yet," Ekko said slyly, tightening his grip on her waist and losing the last bit of cognition he had.

She locked her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to make sure that they were as close to being eye-level as possible. Ekko's brain was no longer screaming at him to stop, screaming at him that nothing that was happening made sense. All he could focus on was Jinx. Her eyes. The feeling of her fingernails tickling the nape of his neck. Her lips...

"I'll take pride in knowing that even the slums of Zaun heard about this party," a booming voice said, slapping both Jinx and Ekko on the shoulder with his giant hands.

Ekko shook his head and felt a few coherent thoughts crash into the front of his skull. Jinx was still blissfully unaware of anything that was going on, but Ekko quickly let go of her, confused as to how his hands got there in the first place.

"Sona's pretty talented," the voice continued, and Ekko quickly identified him as Draven upon further inspection. "She'll mess with your mind until you aren't sure if you ever want reality to come back."

"Yeah," Ekko said, chuckling nervously. "So this your party, then?"

"Obviously," Draven replied, placing his hands behind his head as he tried to remain nonchalant. "Even you should be able to recognize a real work of art when you see one."

"Well, yeah, I guess," Ekko said, glancing around at the entirely Draven-themed room. "What is this party for anyway?"

Draven laughed, clapping Ekko on the back. "You'll find out soon enough."

He continued to laugh as he walked away, greeting every partygoer in sight with his voice at least twice as loud as it should've been. Ekko sighed and turned back to Jinx, who was unfortunately nowhere to be found.

He had to find her. The haze Draven managed to bring him out of was slowly creeping back in. He wanted more to drink. Louder music. Holding Jinx and waiting for her to—

The front door crashed into the wall with an inhumanely strong force. Ekko squinted and immediately locked eyes with a furious looking Katarina. Garen was now decked out in Noxian armor, still sporting his Darius makeup, though slightly disheveled from how it was when they last saw him.

Katarina stomped towards Ekko and grabbed him by his shirt with her fist.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled.

Ekko held up his hands in defense. "Don't get mad at me, sweetheart. Jinx disappeared and I was going to bring her back but—"

Katarina slapped one hand to her forehead and released her grip on Ekko's shirt. "But Sona hypnotized everyone… Yeah. It's like her one good party trick. You get a pass this time. But grab the psycho and we're out of here."

Ekko nodded, his brain finally starting to make perfect sense again.

"Where's Darius?" Katarina asked, whipping her head around desperately.

"Every lane is my lane!" Garen said loudly, clanging a pitcher of beer against Jinx's.

The fire in Katarina's eyes flared so intensely that Ekko was sure they might pop right out of her head. Just as she attempted to drag Garen out of the room by his ear, Draven appeared in front of them, enveloping Kat in a hug.


	6. Smashed

**Quick Info~**

Continuing the madness that is Draven's narcissistic house party... ;) Just wanted to say that I've received some wonderful feedback from amazing folks and I hope that each and every chapter continues to meet your guys' standards! I'm having an absolute blast writing this - particularly Jinx (although the rest of the bunch is fun, too) - and I'm so happy to see people enjoying it right along with me! I suppose I've gotten far enough into this where I can tell you my specific updating schedule. I'm sticking to Fridays, since its the end of the work/school week for a lot of people, and that way you have the weekend to enjoy it at your leisure and I have the weekend to work on the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy and many continued thanks for everyone checking this out!

* * *

"Even Katarina can't resist a Draven party," Draven said, practically oozing narcissism.

Katarina laughed nervously. "You know me," she said, glancing over Draven's shoulder to see if Garen was still with Jinx.

"Here, drink this," Draven said, handing Katarina a cup with the same colored liquid Ekko drank earlier. "It was made especially for me, but obviously I can just go get ten more if I wanted to. My party, you know."

He practically shoved the cup into her hands and she stared at it for a moment. Then, before she even had time to think about it, she downed the drink in two seconds flat.

"Kat, don't!" Ekko warned, but she was already wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Sona," Draven called. "Get the music Draven-style pumping again!"

Sona smiled and hit her etwahl, sending out another shockwave. Draven smiled and handed the empty cup to Ekko.

"Get another on me," he said, spinning Katarina around and leaving Ekko to deal with her.

Her eyes widened and she made her way towards Garen and Jinx, ordering another drink from the bartender. Ekko watched numbly as the three clanked their cups together. Sona's music and the remaining effects of the alcohol were quickly pulling Ekko back under the spell.

"Attention everyone! As if you weren't already paying attention to me," Draven said, tapping the microphone with one of his fingers.

He was standing on a makeshift stage, underneath a series of portraits featuring various executions. He was smiling devilishly in all of the photos, one eyebrow raised cockily. All of the prisoners were dead on the ground, axes protruding from their bodies in various, gruesome manners.

"As you all know, this party is thrown in honor of my one thousandth execution!" Draven said, and the crowd cheered. "It has been my duty—nay—my _privilege_ to entertain the citizens of Noxus throughout the years. When criminals stray, they die the Draven-way."

Katarina joined in on the cheering, pumping her fist in the air dramatically. Jinx was slumped over the bar counter, taking peanuts from a bowl and crushing them in her fists absently. Garen was even smiling, the hype from the crowd coupled with intoxication muffling his Demacian-bred hatred.

"And even though this milestone has been reached purely by my own doing, it wouldn't be right to hang the one thousandth execution portrait on the wall without the help of my brother, Darius," Draven said, motioning to Garen who was still smiling, blissfully unaware.

The color drained from Ekko's face. He whipped his head back in Garen's direction, trying to give him some sort of facial expression that would signal how dangerous everything was about to become.

The smile on Garen's face faded as he realized what was happening. He shook his head and sat back down at the bar, smiling sheepishly.

"C'mon," Draven said. "You'd never miss an opportunity like this!"

"Just go. It'll be fine," Katarina said, pushing Garen towards the stage.

"Will it really?" Ekko hissed at Kat.

"It better be. Get Jinx ready. We're leaving the second this is over," Katarina said, pushing her way through the crowd to retrieve Garen the moment he was done helping Draven.

Ekko glanced at Jinx and quickly came to the conclusion that there was no way she would be able to walk all the way back to the estate, let alone out of the house, on her own. So instead he opted for hoisting her into his arms, bridal-style.

"That was _wild!_ " Jinx exclaimed, flinging her arms into the air and giggling madly.

"Yeah, well we aren't safe yet, so don't get too comfortable," Ekko said, adjusting his grip on her squirming body.

Meanwhile, Garen stumbled on stage and squinted at the bright spotlight. For a moment, Ekko thought he was going to pass out, vomit, or both. But Garen quickly regained his composure and Ekko let out a sigh of relief.

"Now, brother," Draven said, slinging his arm around Garen's shoulder. "Would you like to say a few words?"

Katarina was nodding furiously in the crowd, as if she was trying to give Garen as many Darius-inspired cues as possible. He quickly caught on and awkwardly grabbed the microphone from Draven's hand.

Clearing his throat, Garen shouted, "Noxus!"

The room went silent for a moment, the partygoers exchanging confused glances. Eventually, a single clap emitted from the crowd followed by a thunderous applause. Noxian residents were hollering and cheers-ing one another, while even the foreigners smiled and applauded.

"Alright, alright," Draven said, grabbing the microphone back from Garen. "He's probably pretty wasted, folks."

Garen nodded and threw one giant fist in the air, earning another round of roaring cheers. Draven glared at him for a brief second, one that probably only Ekko could've picked up on. Darius must not have been one to actively steal his brother's charismatic charm and limelight.

"Just help me hang this," Draven muttered to Garen, putting the microphone back on the stand.

They each took one end of the portrait and hoisted it into it's new home, smack-dab in the middle of the wall. It was significantly larger than the rest, with Draven's smiling face in front of a prisoner with two axes jammed into his eye sockets. Unlike the rest of the photos, the prisoner was not yet dead, and his horrified expression remained captured in high definition for eternity.

"Thank you, bro," Garen said, patting Draven on the shoulder. "Your heart and axe, always for Noxus."

Draven shrugged away from his touch. "The Garen impressions are getting a little old, Dar. Leave the jokes to me. But seriously, thank you for coming."

As soon as Garen walked off stage, Katarina grabbed his arm and made a hurried leap for the door. Ekko followed, still carrying Jinx, who was running her fingers across his mohawk and laughing.

The cool, outside air hit Ekko in the face like a freight train. His numbed senses sparked to life again and his lungs were drained of all offending substances. Katarina had a similar reaction, no longer completely bogged down by all of the weight Garen was putting on her.

"I called ahead for the cable car," Katarina said. "It should already be waiting for us."

"I can't believe Draven didn't catch onto Garen's little, uh, show," Ekko said, his breathing slightly labored as he struggled to keep Jinx from squirming out of his arms.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to follow Jinx and I was stupid enough to think I could easily bring you both back," Katarina said, shooting a venomous glare in Ekko's direction.

"All's well that ends well," Ekko said, shrugging despite the pang of guilt he felt in his gut.

They boarded the cable car in silence, Katarina still infinitely bitter at all of them. Ekko tried to keep his grip on Jinx steady, but eventually he had to set her down inside of the car.

"Look at all of the fire!" Jinx exclaimed, her eyes glowing as she hung more than fifty percent of her entire body off of the metal ledge.

Ekko followed her gaze, realizing that she must have been referring to the torches that lined the giant wall keeping Noxian citizens in and outsiders, well, out. Almost instantly after, a horrible retching sound emerged from Jinx and Ekko instinctively grabbed her braids, pulling them away from the line of fire.

"She doesn't deserve any of that, you know," Katarina said quietly, refusing to look at the disgusting scene unfolding.

"Loyalty to your own kind is important," Ekko said, rubbing Jinx's back soothingly.

Katarina scoffed. "You don't owe her anything. She left you behind."

"And Vi left her behind," Ekko rebutted. "We were kids. She didn't know any better. Wanting revenge because you're hurting is normal."

"But becoming a raging psychopath and vandalizing an entire city because of it isn't."

"Everyone deals with grief in their own way. Look, Kat, I'm not trying to argue with you. I just need someone to understand why I'm doing this with her. She's the only one who has strong enough feelings for Vi to help me pull this off. No one gives a rat's ass about Ajuna. Hell, I don't even think Jinx does. I don't blame anyone for that; no one knew him like I did. But Vi is the sole fuel for Jinx's fire, and Ajuna is mine. Both of those paths happened to cross, so I guess it was natural for mine and Jinx's to cross again, too."

Katarina's gaze softened throughout Ekko's speech. She didn't understand him from an empathetic point of view—she didn't really have the luxury of loving someone the way that Ekko did Ajuna—but she felt herself sympathizing with him regardless.

"Alright, softie, I get it," Kat said, shaking her head and smiling ever so slightly. "Don't think this gives you a free pass from certain death if anyone finds out about Garen, though."

"Fair enough," Ekko said, moving to help Jinx sit down inside of the car.

"The world is spinning," Jinx grumbled, holding her head with one hand and her stomach with the other.

Ekko couldn't help but laugh, wondering if this was the first time Jinx ever got drunk. She seemed like she was so frequently high on life that she didn't need alcohol. Ekko, on the other hand, didn't mind a casual drink from time to time.

When the cable car finally reached Katarina's estate, the group couldn't wait to get inside. Garen stumbled out of the car uneasily and began wiping the smudged lipstick-scar off of his face. Ekko scooped Jinx back into his arms and led her through the front door, safely placing her on a couch.

"I'll get you some water," he said, pulling a black and white leopard print blanket over her.

"Garen and I are going to go wash off. If you need anything, just— Actually, don't need anything," Katarina said, hurriedly pushing Garen upstairs towards the bathroom.

When Ekko returned, Jinx was staring at him wide-eyed.

"If you're gonna puke again, try and make it to the bathroom or a sink first," he said, setting the cup of water down on a glass table and rushing to help her get up.

"I'm fine, Weirdo," she said, batting his hands away. "I might want to puke after I ask you this question, though."

Ekko sighed, relieved at first until his mind registered what she said. He sat down beside her, picking up her legs and tossing them across his thighs.

"What's up?" he asked, trying to sound casual despite the millions of bad thoughts racing around his brain in a jumbled frenzy.

"Did I want to kiss you tonight?" she asked, her eyes locked onto his face like two giant pink lasers.

Ekko's eyes widened in surprise, wondering where she could have possibly gotten an idea like that. Everything that happened was blurred together in a massive strobe light and fog machine induced haze in his brain. But out of few moments he did remember, dancing with Jinx was one of them.

"Yeah, I guess," he answered and Jinx immediately let her gaze drop to the floor. "But don't worry about it. Sona was manipulating everyone's emotions with her etwahl."

Jinx smiled. "It must not have worn off yet, then, because if I wanted to kiss you, I'd definitely call it 'face-smashing' instead."

"That's so totally Jinx," Ekko said, grinning back at her.

"Hey," she said suddenly, pulling on his shirt. "Face-smash me sometime, okay?"

Ekko blinked, wondering if she even knew what she was saying. He shook his head and smiled, though, evading her question with ease. "Get some sleep, okay? Tomorrow I'm not stopping every time you want to shoot up a tree to make sure your gun is still 'awake.'"

Jinx nodded, burying her face into the couch pillow and closing her eyes. Ekko prayed that by tomorrow, she would completely forget about anything that happened and they could go back to being two partners on a mission for mutual benefits. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling of her arms around his neck and his hands on her waist. That was the closest their faces had ever been. If Draven hadn't interrupted, would Ekko really have kissed her? He wasn't sure. But the thought was definitely going to haunt him for the remainder of the night.


	7. Truth or Dare

**Quick Info~**

Almost didn't get to stick to my posting schedule since my internet has been gone since yesterday. But it finally came back and the chapter is here on time! The plot thickens...and by that, I mean there's finally some real romance. The title of this chapter is pretty cliche, but I figured that Jinx is into that kind of stuff. We're really getting into this story now, guys! I'm so excited! Thanks for all of the wonderful feedback! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

"Good luck with the poison," Ekko said, earning an angry look from both Katarina and Garen. "Err, both of you."

Garen, happily donning his Demacian armor again, patted Ekko on the shoulder. "Don't worry, friend. I'll emerge victorious."

"Let's just go," Katarina said, visibly frustrated.

"Thanks again for letting us spend the night," Ekko called.

Katarina waved away his thanks with her hand. It wasn't long until the two were merely small, argumentative dots in the distance. Ekko grabbed the map out of his backpack and began tracing his finger across their route.

"We have two options. Try to make it over the mountains or go through this pass and try to survive the Shurima desert. If you pick the second option, we probably have enough time to catch up with Garen and Kat," Ekko said, glancing at Jinx.

She was shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, her skin visibly paler than usual. Her hangover was in full swing and, although Ekko felt bad about moving on when she clearly felt like shit, he didn't feel nearly bad enough to delay their trip another day.

"I don't want to hear their old couple bickering," Jinx said, groaning dramatically. "But I don't want to climb over mountains either."

"So nothing of what you just said answered my question," Ekko said, deadpan.

"I'll take the goddamn mountains, just shut up," Jinx said. "Ow! My head is pounding!"

Ekko began to fish through the backpack, praying that he remembered to buy some medicine. His hands soon found a bottle and he proudly pulled it from the bag. Ibuprofen wasn't the best headache reliever, but it was better than nothing. Walking over to Jinx, he opened her hand and placed one pill inside of it.

"Take this with water," Ekko instructed. "If your head still hurts after thirty minutes, I'll give you one more."

Jinx looked at the pill quizzically, but did not object. She popped it in her mouth and swallowed it plain. Ekko looked at her in horror.

"Drink something. What if it expands in your throat?"

Jinx laughed. "I do it like this all the time. Water makes the coating come off and then the pill tastes like acid."

Ekko sighed. "Fine. Suit yourself. But you can't die on me, okay?"

"Crushing a little hard there, Weirdo?" Jinx asked, sticking her tongue out at him.

Ekko felt his cheeks heat and quickly pretended to busy himself putting things back in the backpack in order to avoid her seeing.

"I had a crush…until you started talking to the gun," he teased.

"That's really lame," Jinx said matter-of-factly, hoisting her bag onto her back and walking away from him.

Ekko caught up to her and matched her stride with ease. "So is asking me to face-smash."

He eyed her slyly, watching as it was her turn to sport flushed cheeks. She glared back, furiously trying to rub all the color out of her face.

"Drunk Jinx and regular Jinx don't share the same brain," she argued.

"Whatever you say," Ekko said, placing his hands behind his head and trying to ignore the glaringly obvious spring in his step.

They continued to travel in silence, each feeling varying degrees of awkward. Jinx would occasionally open her mouth like she was about to utter a retort, but no words ever came. Ekko found himself glancing at her from time to time, noticing the way her pale skin seemed to glow in the sunlight. The way her eyes darted around, trying to feverishly soak in every inch of her surroundings. The way her hair was the only perfectly structured thing about her.

And how that somehow made her look that much more beautiful.

But Ekko couldn't think about her like that. Not after everything that happened. She was a part of his family once, but that family was dead. Things could never go back to how they were before; he was far too different now.

So they walked on in silence, each shoving some sort of blossoming feeling down like expired milk. Bitter, unwanted, and probably not good for them.

"I wasn't going to tell you this because I didn't want you actively trying to find it," Ekko started, breaking the silence. "But you should know that as soon as we find a broken down house, we _cannot_ go inside it. Clear?"

"What's in it?" Jinx asked, avoiding his instructions.

"If I tell you, will that keep you from going inside?"

Jinx grinned. "No promises."

Ekko rolled his eyes. "I guess that's better than a 'no.' Anyway, legend has it that Vladimir used to study there, and even walking on the property grounds is enough to instantly kill you."

"Vlad is all about blood," Jinx said. "I'm not into stuff like that, perv."

"I figured explosions would fall under some sort of psychotic version of BDSM, along with blood," Ekko teased.

"Yeah, well, I'm a complex gal," Jinx said, flipping one braid over her shoulder.

Ekko looked up at the sky and nervously scanned the mass of gray clouds coming in. The map they carried wasn't exactly useful as a weather tool, and Ekko had been so busy the previous night that he forgot to check it on Katarina's television. A storm would be the last thing they needed, especially while traveling through a mountain range.

"If it rains, we're screwed," he said, more to himself than to Jinx.

She mimicked him and looked up at the sky as well, holding out her hand as if she was searching for raindrops. "What do you want to do when it rains?" she asked.

"Way to think positively. But if it does, and it probably won't, we'll just have to take cover in the mountains like we did a few nights ago. Don't sweat it," Ekko said, although his voice was exceedingly less convincing than he wanted it to be.

Jinx seemed satisfied with his answer, so the pair continued on. It had been a few hours since they passed Vladimir's death house. The mountains were getting closer, and subsequently larger. It was going to be a hell of a climb, and Ekko wasn't sure if they could do it.

The wind was whistling through the cracks in the rocks rather musically, but extremely loud. The clouds were getting darker and thunder clapped a few times, as if it was teasing them, or giving them a little preview of the hell that was about to come.

Jinx was the first one to hoist herself up on the nearest rock.

"Follow me," she said, motioning for Ekko, who was standing warily at the bottom of the mountain. "I can already see a somewhat clear path from here."

Ekko hesitated, but decided to trust her. She owed him one, maybe three by this point, and the least she could do was help navigate. When he caught up to her, he could see the path she was talking about. It was extremely narrow, but it would be a good place to stop to sleep, eat, and hide away from the fast-approaching storm.

Holding out his hand, Ekko felt a cold mist settling on his palm and fingertips. The sky had turned from a hazy gray to a thick charcoal, and fog was settling in around them. He thought it was due to their altitude, but that theory did not help to calm his nerves any.

"We should probably stop," he said, noticing how Jinx's steps were beginning to falter as the wind picked up.

She was so small that he was surprised she hadn't blown away years ago. Turning back to look at him, she nodded, staring at him with surprisingly grateful eyes.

"Let's just set up camp for the night underneath these rocks. It looks sturdy enough and it's the best we're probably going to get," Ekko said, ducking underneath the inlet.

It was far too small, far too cold, and did basically nothing to shield them from the storm. Ekko squished himself against the back of the inlet as best as he could, letting Jinx huddle next to him as best as she could.

"We're gonna look like wet dogs," Jinx said, her breath fogging up in the cold.

"Don't worry," Ekko said, instinctively pulling her closer. "It's only for one night."

He reached behind him and pulled his sleeping bag out of his backpack.

"If we can fasten this above us, it should do at least a mediocre job at keeping us warm and dry," he said, standing and searching for loose rocks heavy enough to keep the sleeping bag in place above them.

Eventually, he managed to find enough rocks to make a line across the sleeping bag, pinning it down to the awkwardly unstable mountain terrain. Slipping back inside, Jinx was huddled up in her own sleeping bag, her wet hair drooping in her eyes. Ekko was wet, uncomfortable, and freezing, but he didn't dare ask Jinx to share the sleeping bag. There was already enough weirdness between them.

Thankfully, he didn't have to ask.

"You really are a weirdo," Jinx said, unzipping the sleeping bag and holding it open. "Get inside."

Ekko didn't have to think twice about accepting her offer once it was presented to him. Two bodies sharing one sleeping bag for mutual heat. That seemed significantly more logical and not the least bit erotic. Or at least, that was what he was going to keep telling himself.

"It sucks we can't make a fire," Jinx said, her voice low and quiet as she snuggled up next to him.

He wrapped his arm around her, cradling her closer to his chest. The rush of heat he felt was welcomed, although still undeniably awkward. She seemed unfazed, except for her heart beat. For as long as Ekko had known her, she had an unusually fast pulse, and it was most likely a contributing factor to her craziness. But the closer she got to him, the quicker it picked up. Part of him was worried that she might go into cardiac arrest or some sort of shock. But another part of him, somewhere no longer significantly deep down, was happy that she was experiencing similar feelings.

"So I'm going to risk you hitting me—" Ekko started.

"And blowing you up?" Jinx asked, looking up at him with a mischievous grin.

Ekko laughed. "Yeah, that too. Anyway, I want to ask you about Ajuna."

Jinx suddenly grew very silent. No matter how psychopathic she was, she could not deny that he held a place in her heart. As a matter of fact, no being that ever came into contact with Ajuna could forget the person he was.

"What about him?" she asked, curling her fingers through the neckline on Ekko's shirt, her cold fingers brushing against his hot chest.

"Do you think he'd be happy with what I'm doing? You know, trying to get his stuff back?" Ekko asked, his voice tense and strained.

"I didn't know him very well, so—" Jinx started, but was quickly cut off.

"Jinx, please. I know things are weird right now. I know all of the shit that went down with Vi changed you. But the Jinx that remembers Ajuna is the one that I want to talk to right now."

Jinx hesitated for a moment, as if she was fighting within her own mind whether or not she wanted to open up to him. Ekko didn't blame her. Not really, anyway. Putting all of your trust into someone, only to have them betray you, cuts a wound that never really heals.

"Alright, fine. I think he'd call you crazy," Jinx said.

Ekko simply stared at her, knowing that he was only brushing the surface of what she really had to say. She puffed out her cheeks, then let out a long sigh.

"But a good friend," she finished, so quietly that Ekko wasn't sure if she had even spoken at first.

"Thanks," he said, squeezing her arm.

The sleeping bag used as a makeshift curtain was getting pelted with rain and the sunlight was completely gone, leaving them in a cocoon of pitch darkness. Ekko reached into the backpack and pulled out a handheld, battery operated lantern. Switching it on, he placed it on the ground next to them. It offered little light, but enough to at least slightly illuminate their shelter.

"Are you hungry?" Ekko asked.

Jinx shook her head. "The hangover knocked me out good."

Ekko pulled out a water bottle and handed it to her. "I can't force you to eat, but I am gonna make you drink this. We can't afford to waste anymore time once tomorrow comes."

Jinx accepted the bottle and downed it in almost one gulp. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she handed him the empty plastic.

"It's too early to sleep," she said, her voice sounding incredibly hollow.

"What do you want to do? Face-smash?" Ekko teased.

Jinx shoved him playfully. "Keep dreamin', lover-boy," she said. "I had a better idea. What if we play truth or dare?"

"You couldn't come up with something less cliché?"

"I pick dare," Jinx said, ignoring his snide remark completely.

"Fine," Ekko said, rolling his eyes and glancing around the area to see if there was even enough room for a proper dare. "I guess I'll dare you to stick your head outside of the sleeping bag for ten seconds."

"That's nothin'!" Jinx said, instantly pulling back the sleeping bag and sticking her face in the rain.

Ekko laughed as she dramatically stuck out her tongue, catching raindrops in her mouth. He counted down from ten, shaking his head at how ridiculous she was. When she remerged, her hair face was soaking wet but her eyes were sparkling like he had never seen before. It was as if a thousand stars had illuminated each piece of her iris.

"Your turn," she said, crossing her arms over her chest haughtily. "I won't go easy on you 'cause you're a boy, either."

"Oh yeah? Well in that case, I'll choose dare, too," Ekko said, feeling his heart beginning to race.

Jinx put one hand to her chin in thought, but Ekko could tell by the way her lips were twitching mischievously at the corners that she already knew exactly what to dare him.

"First take off your shirt, then go stand at the top of that peak over there for one minute," Jinx said.

"You pretty much just stole my dare and made it meaner," Ekko protested.

"It's okay to be a _big, fat chicken_ ," she teased.

Ekko grinned and began to take off his shirt. "Just remember you had this coming."

Before Jinx realized what was happening, Ekko had already stripped and grabbed her by the waist with one arm. Standing, he threw her over his shoulder and walked into the rain.

"This peak over here?" he asked, squinting as raindrops blurred his vision.

Jinx squealed, laughing and peppering his back with her fists. "Put me down, Weirdo!" she pleaded, rain soaking them both.

Ekko didn't answer until he was standing on the peak of the mountain. And when he finally did, instead of using words, he simply dropped her to the ground. She stared up at him, her bottom lip curving into a pout. Ekko knew that she wasn't really upset with him, though. The expression in her eyes was always a dead giveaway.

"Your turn," he said, stretching his arms out to either side to further squash the intensity of her dare.

"Dare, asshole," she said, the smile in her voice betraying the venom in her words.

Ekko thought about it for a moment, his heart leaping into his throat at the prospect of it.

"Kiss me," he said.

"What?" Jinx blinked, thoroughly stunned by his words.

"Sorry," he said, holding up a hand to correct himself. "Face-smash me."

"That's not part of this game," Jinx said.

Even though it was dark, Ekko swore he was able to make out the flush on her cheeks in the moonlight. Thunder rumbled in the clouds, low and loud. They were both soaked from head to toe. Everything about the situation was completely chaotic. And yet, that was somehow fitting. Jinx took every simple moment and turned it into complete and utter chaos. She was the human version of a tornado. Deadly, catastrophic, and strangely enough, a real work of art if examined by the right person.

"You can chicken out," he said, dropping his arms to his sides and taking a small step towards her.

"And let you win? No way," Jinx said, folding her arms across her chest and turning her head to the side.

"Alright fine, I'll come up with something better," Ekko said, taking a deep breath and swallowing all of his feelings in one giant gulp.

"No!" Jinx said, a little too quickly, her eyes locking onto his face with laser focus.

Ekko raised his eyebrows at her, momentarily stunned by her answer.

"No," she said again, quietly.

Taking a step forward, she lifted her chin and stood on her tiptoes, her hot breath fanning out against his cheeks. Her eyes were still open, searching his as if she needed permission, like she wanted to know that everything would still be okay. Ekko closed his and leaned in, his hands resting on her waist.

It seemed like an eternity before their lips finally touched. She tasted like electricity and raspberries, and Ekko's heart was set on fire. She was hesitant at first, but quickly melted against the rhythm of his movements. Her hands remained at her side for a moment, before gingerly sliding up his chest and around his neck.

It was a sweet kiss, simplistic and new. There were far too many confusing feelings for either of them to open up further. Rainwater was running between their noses and landing on the other's cheeks, each cold drop renewing the intensity of the kiss.

Jinx pulled away first, her fingers running across his cheek like she was afraid she was going to forget what he felt like. Like their kiss was a one-time deal. Purely circumstantial. Ekko didn't open his eyes for a few seconds, savoring the lingering warmth she left in her touch.

"I win," she whispered.

Ekko merely nodded. Her instant retreat back to their shelter should not have surprised him as much as it did, and his heart should not have sunk as badly as it did. Her reaction was exactly what he expected from her. In fact, anything else would have made him even more uneasy.

He eventually joined her once standing outside got too cold and too wet. He was chilled to the bone, but extremely thankful for Jinx's recommendation for him to strip.

She was already fast asleep by the time that he pulled back the sleeping bag curtain. He wasn't sure if he was happy about that or not. He took some time to dry off before climbing into the sleeping bag with her.

Just two bodies sharing one sleeping bag for mutual heat. Or at least, that was what he was going to keep telling himself.


	8. Icathia

**Quick Info~**

Oh man, this chapter required a lot of research! I pretty much lived on the LoL wiki page for this stuff. But I think it's really interesting, and a good way to take a peak into Ekko and Jinx's psyches. I would love to hear some feedback from you guys on this chapter specifically because it is the first time I've ever attempted to rely this heavily on lore. Obviously, a few creative licenses were taken to fill in the gaps left by the lore as well as to further the plot, but other than that I think I captured the fabled city of Icathia pretty well! Thanks again for tuning in, and I hope you all enjoy. :)

* * *

Sunlight peered through the sleeping bag and Ekko blinked, rubbing his eyes furiously. He sighed, appreciating the few seconds of peace before the memories of everything that happened the past few days came rushing back into his brain like opened floodgates.

Jinx was no longer in the sleeping bag with him. In fact, her backpack wasn't in the tent anymore, either. A sense of panic washed over him, like a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on his head. He scrambled out of the sleeping bag, grabbed his shirt, and threw back the makeshift curtain.

"Relax, Weirdo," Jinx said, walking back towards their shelter. "If I really wanted to leave, I would have taken the map."

She pointed to the map lying out in the open on the mountain floor. Ekko let out a sigh of relief, but he felt frustrated. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep, so I went to scout out the area. There's a cool abandoned town at the bottom of the mountain," Jinx said.

"Did you blow it up?" Ekko asked.

"Thought about it," Jinx said. "But then I remembered how freakin' hungry I am and decided to wait to see if they've got food."

Ekko began to wrap up the sleeping bag to put it back in his backpack.

"Something about the words 'abandoned city' and 'food' just don't go together," he said, putting the bag on his back and tightening the straps underneath his arms.

"Gonna be a smart-ass even after I gave you the greatest night of your life?" Jinx asked.

"Probably," Ekko teased, not at all refuting her claim of it being the greatest night of his life.

Although, it might not have been the greatest night _ever_ , it was certainly filled with the most emotions he had experienced in a single period of time. He was grateful that something finally trumped the night Ajuna died.

"I can still blow you to bits," she said, stroking Fishbones and Pow-pow affectionately.

"I've been perfecting jumping back in time, so you can try it if you want," Ekko said, mimicking her behavior with her guns towards his Zero Drive.

The walk over the mountains was more strenuous than Ekko thought. He had prepared for it to be hard, but loose pieces in the terrain threatened a rockslide every few minutes and there were no easy places to step without almost twisting an ankle.

It was high noon by the time they were finally walking down the mountain. Jinx was sliding down like the rocks were snow and her butt was the sled. Ekko, however, took a much more cautious approach. He grasped at the side the mountain with his hands, trying to steady his footing before taking another step.

Jinx was at the bottom significantly before he was and decided to spend the remainder of her waiting time shouting insults at him like a sporting coach.

"What are you, seventy-five? Pick up the pace!" she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth as if they were a bullhorn. "The Senior Special is closing in ten minutes!"

Ekko rolled his eyes, feeling familiar irritation pool in his stomach. He considered kicking some rocks down at her, but as soon as he remembered how her lips felt against his, he decided against it.

"I've been waiting for you for decades, ya whipper-snapper," Jinx said, covering her teeth with her lips and bending over like an elderly woman.

"Har har," Ekko said dryly. "Be thankful I didn't cause a rockslide on— Whoa."

"What?" Jinx asked, and Ekko placed his hands on her shoulders to spin her around.

The city that Jinx mentioned earlier that morning was finally within their reach. The buildings were crumbling, each made with extremely outdated stone materials. Bizarre looking obelisks towered over the decaying ruins, each slightly more intact than the rest of the city.

"Where are we?" Ekko asked, blindly reaching into the backpack behind him to search for the map.

He traced his finger through the mountain range and pointed to where they most likely ended up.

"Icathia," he said, and merely uttering the word was eerie.

"Isn't Kassadin from here?" Jinx called.

She went ahead of him far enough to touch the outside of the ruins, but she didn't dare step inside. The entire city felt as though it was emitting some sort of darkness. At first glance, it looked innocent enough, but the remaining aura was rather threatening.

"I don't remember," Ekko said, stuffing the map back into the backpack and walking to Jinx's side.

"I think he went crazy here or something," Jinx said, turning to look up at Ekko with curious eyes.

"That's not exactly reassuring," Ekko said. "But this is the quickest way to Bandle City."

"What's the worst that could happen?" Jinx shrugged.

"Just don't touch anything," Ekko said.

The pair walked into Icathia together, each hesitant in their steps. Ekko half-expected them to instantly explode the second they stepped across the boarder. However, when nothing happened, Ekko saw Jinx let out a breath of relief. Anxiety still gripped Ekko tightly. In a strange way, he was sure that the lack of booby traps made Icathia seem even more disturbing.

"Now that I think about it, Malzahar came here once, too," Ekko said, his voice echoing through what remained of the empty buildings.

"Maybe we'll get to join his freaky cult," Jinx said, and Ekko could tell that she was only sort of joking.

Each step they took felt like they were walking closer and closer to their eminent doom. The buildings seemed to sag the further they walked, as if gravity was pulling them towards a single spot. Even the direction of the obelisks had changed to face the same object. A circle, smack dab in the middle of the city. It was made of marble, with intricate foreign letters carved in a ring. Around the circle, dark statues stood that looked like individuals Ekko had seen from the Void.

"Jinx!" Ekko called, his voice strangely no longer sounding like his own.

Jinx popped out from behind an obelisk and her eyes grew wide when she saw the circle.

"I feel really weird," she said, holding her head with both hands. "Like I'm tripping major balls."

"Yeah, just stand back and don't look at it," Ekko said, turning his head away from the circle.

He heard Jinx's footsteps continue to move forward, but he couldn't bring himself to turn around. The circle must have been what caused Kassadin and Malzahar's corruption, and Jinx was tumbling right into the same path.

An ear-piercing shrieking rumbled from the ground, shaking the ruins and throwing Ekko to the ground. He covered his ears, but the sound was hardly muffled underneath his hands. He buried his head in his stomach, drawing his knees close to his body, and waited for the shaking and the noise to stop. He hoped Jinx was okay. Everything inside of him was telling him that she wasn't.

When the shrieking subsided, his ears were ringing. He tried to yell for Jinx, but he couldn't hear his own voice. Touching his throat, he realized that the volume of the shriek caused temporary deafness. It was something he had experienced a handful of times, but now that he was no longer in control of his surroundings, it made the deafness that much more terrifying.

He finally turned around to look for Jinx, but a blinding white light jetted from the circle to the sky, right where Jinx had been standing. Scrambling to his feet, still disoriented from the earthquake, he stumbled towards the light, praying that she was somehow inside of it.

"Ekko!"

His hearing was back. He squinted, using his hands to feel his surroundings and hoping that he would make contact with some part of her. Before he was able to realize what was happening, Jinx was suddenly all he could see. The blinding light had subsided and was replaced with utter darkness. Jinx was the only thing illuminated, almost like she was a ghost, and she was holding her hands out for him to grab, her braids floating ethereally around her.

"Jinx," he said, reaching out for her.

He felt as though his entire body was being dragged down and away from her, like someone had turned the dial on gravity all the way to it's highest functioning level.

It took all of his strength to lift his head towards her and, when he finally was able to look at her again, it wasn't her that he saw.

"You told me everything was going to be okay," Ajuna said, staring petrified at his hands.

They were covered in blood. It leaked out of his palms and pooled at his feet. Ekko could smell the copper. Taste it. Feel the thick, warm substance covering him. Ajuna was crying silently, the tears streaking his dirty face.

"I'm sorry," Ekko whimpered, weakly trying and failing to reach out to touch him. "I tried to save you."

Ajuna laughed and the sound reverberated so loudly that Ekko had to cover his ears again. "Save me? You're the reason I'm dead."

"It's my greatest regret," Ekko said, feeling his own hot tears mixing with the blood.

"And you think what you're doing is going to make it up to me?" Ajuna asked, bending down towards Ekko's level.

He was freezing to the touch, so cold that Ekko had to pull his hand away.

"I can't let your memory be ruined," Ekko protested. "If I could take it all back, I would. We were just kids!"

Ajuna grabbed Ekko by the throat and lifted him out of the pool of blood. He struggled against his grasp, spluttering and gasping for air to no avail.

"It's okay, Ekko. We're going to be even now," Ajuna whispered, smiling a bloody smile, and Ekko drifted out of consciousness.

* * *

"Hey, Weirdo!" Jinx called. "Where are you?!"

Jinx stumbled as the earth continued to shake, quickly losing her footing and hitting the ground hard. She struggled to pull herself up; her arms felt like were reduced to two piles of jelly.

The bright light shooting up from the circle was blinding her, but she couldn't look away. Grasping at the ground, she felt herself getting pulled towards the middle of the circle. She wasn't sure if she had been screaming, but her throat felt raw and dry.

"She's always been such a baby," Caitlyn said, her arms wrapped around Vi's neck.

"C'mon, Cait. Cut her some slack," Vi said, giggling and running her hand through Caitlyn's hair.

Jinx wanted to say something to let them know that she was there, but no words came out of her mouth. Her arms and legs were still too weak to pick herself back up, so she lay on the ground, silently wishing that someone would notice her.

"She follows you around like a lost little puppy," Caitlyn said.

"How long have you been eavesdropping?" Vi asked, suddenly turning her attention to Jinx.

"What are you doing here?" Jinx asked, surprised by the presence and hoarseness of her voice.

Vi lifted Jinx's chin with her hand, her touch unbelievably hot. "I asked you first. Do you honestly think the more you stalk me, the more it makes me want to come back?"

"No," Jinx said, feeling hot tears begin to prickle at the corner of her eyes.

"You're beating a dead horse," Vi said, releasing her grip on Jinx and leaving her pinned to the ground once again. "I'm _never_ coming back for you."

"Vi, stop," Jinx pleaded, the tears spilling over her eyelids and soaking the side of her face.

"Hey, Cait," Vi said, stooping to the ground and picking up Fishbones. "Pretty sure Jinx loves this gun even more than she loved me. If we crush it, do ya think she would finally stop chasing after me?"

"Worth a shot," Caitlyn said, taking out her own gun and unlocking the safety on it.

"Fishbones!" Jinx shrieked, trying with all of her might to pull herself off of the ground.

Vi charged up her gauntlets, the sparks that flew off of them landing on Jinx's hands. It burned, but she couldn't pull away. Vi clutched Fishbones, slowly crushing it in between her hands. Caitlyn took her own gun and aimed at Jinx's. She fired, the bullet hit Fishbones on the side, exploding into a hundreds of fragmented pieces.

Rage bubbled up inside of Jinx and she reached into her backpack. Pulling out one of the explosives she bought, she threw it at Vi and Caitlyn, tears blurring her vision and streaming down her cheeks in waves.

The explosion caused so much smoke that Jinx curled into a ball to shield her face from it, her body shaking as she sobbed. Vi and Caitlyn's laughter stopped and silence replaced the sound. She wasn't sure how long she had been lying there for, but it was long enough for the smoke to clear and her eyes to feel puffy.

* * *

"Jinx?"

She opened her eyes and peered through the crack between her arm and the ground. Ekko was lying adjacent to her, his eyes just as puffy and red as hers. The blinding light had disappeared and the ruins around them were slowly burning. Ash was falling from the sky like snow and a light coating of it covered each of their bodies.

"Are you okay?" Ekko whispered, dragging himself towards her.

"I don't… I'm not…" Jinx stuttered, her eyes searching his, terrified.

"It's okay," Ekko said, pulling her into his arms and holding her, smoothing the back of her hair with his palm.

Jinx didn't cry anymore. She just lay numbly in his arms. Ekko didn't cry, either. His eyes were hurting and he felt like he had aged a decade within the day.

"You saved us," Ekko said, after what felt like a millennial of silence.

"Hmm?" Jinx mumbled.

She hadn't released her iron grip on his shirt since he started holding her. In fact, Ekko was sure it had gotten tighter as the minutes passed.

"You're the one who threw the bomb, right?" Ekko asked, making sure his voice was as quiet and soothing as possible.

"You're the one who's Captain Obvious, right?" Jinx asked, the tiniest hint of a grin in her cracked voice.

Ekko couldn't help but chuckle. "Right," he said, pushing back her bangs and brushing his lips against her forehead.

He wasn't sure what she had seen, but he was never going to ask. Part of him knew that she wouldn't tell him, either. No matter how many years they knew each other, no matter what else happened, whatever she saw was going to remain in the darkest depths of her heart because that was how she worked. It was how she coped. Sometimes, Ekko thought it was the smartest strategy in the world. Most times, though, he knew how much pain it caused her.

So he continued to hold her, hoping that a friendly touch would be just enough to ebb the memories of her nightmare. And if it wasn't, then he hoped it would be just enough to keep her feeling human.

Ekko wasn't sure when Jinx fell asleep, but he knew that it was significantly before he felt even the least bit tired. He was still holding her when sleep finally took over his mind, dragging him under as he fought as hard as he could to not think about Ajuna.


	9. Yordles

**Quick Info~**

No...it's not Monday. Psh. I was supposed to update this every Friday! Well, Fire Emblem Fates came out on Friday so is that a valid enough excuse as to where I've been since then? Anyway, this chapter is speeding things along quite nicely. Introducing some new characters, continuing some romance, furthering the general plot. It is also the longest chapter so far! I hope you guys enjoy! Thanks for checking this out, once again!

* * *

"I want to get out of here now," Jinx demanded.

The second she woke up she was in a panicked flurry, gathering all of their things and forcing Ekko to stand immediately upon waking up. The sun was already high in the sky and his stomach rumbled hungrily. The flames on the buildings had subsided, leaving behind crumbling, blackended chunks scattering the ground. Disoriented and hot, Ekko followed Jinx at a steady jog until Icathia was behind them.

As soon as they stepped through the final threshold, Ekko felt a two-ton weight lifted off of his shoulders. Jinx also looked noticeably less stressed out. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a can of beans and cracked it open on a nearby rock.

"Hungry?" she asked and Ekko nodded fervently.

She tossed him the can and he slurped the beans down like he hadn't eaten in days. Once he thought about it, he realized that he sort of hadn't. The Du Couteau estate was the last place he had a real, full meal and that was already days ago.

"Wha 'bout you?" Ekko asked, pointing to Jinx with his mouth full.

Jinx pulled her knees to her chest and shook her head. "Not hungry," she said shortly.

Ekko swallowed hard, his throat aching with the weight of the amount he tried to shove down at once. He glanced at her worriedly, but decided against saying anything. He knew that the vision of Ajuna was completely constructed out of his own fears. Ajuna wasn't like that. But if Jinx had a vision about Vi, or even him, there was no telling how realistic it was.

"As soon as we get to Bandle City, we are showering," Ekko said, trying to lighten the mood by smelling his pits and grimacing.

Jinx smiled. "Gross!" she said, smelling herself. "You're gonna have to crouch to fit in those puny showers."

"Won't be a problem for you," Ekko teased, patting her head to emphasize just how much taller he was than her.

Jinx laughed and stood up, stretching. "Let's keep going."

"Already? Someone's eager to get rid of me," Ekko said, pulling his backpack on and stepping with her stride.

"Nah," Jinx said, protectively hugging Fishbones to her body. "I'm just ready to blow off Caitlyn and Vi's heads."

Ekko instantly realized her vision must have involved Caitlyn and Vi. He was surprised, and satisfied, that he even got that much information out of her.

"Well it shouldn't take too much longer at this pace," Ekko said, panting as he struggled to keep up with her.

Ekko squinted in the distance, feeling dizzy as the ground looked like it was shifting. Jinx didn't seem to notice. Instead, she was occasionally stealing glances at him or soldiering onward with a furrowed, frustrated brow. It didn't take long for Ekko to realize what was in front of them.

He almost couldn't believe his eyes at first. He was worried it was merely a mirage or some leftover effects from tripping on Icathian grounds. But as soon as Jinx noticed it, too, his doubts subsided.

A small reservoir was sitting in the middle of the desert, looking almost perfectly clear. A few animals surrounded it, but besides that it was virtually abandoned. Ekko could practically feel the cool water on his skin, washing away all of the ash and grime and unwanted memories. Jinx seemed to be thinking the same thing, because they both began walking towards it despite it being slightly off course.

"This is really convenient for traveling Yordles," Ekko said, setting his backpack down and taking off his shoes.

"And us," Jinx said, removing her own boots.

Ekko hesitated, looking down at his dirty clothes. "We should probably wash these, too, huh?"

Jinx's face turned bright red. "Pervert," she said, covering her chest and grinning at him mischievously.

"No, not at all," Ekko said, holding up his hands in defense. "You take one side and I'll take the other. No peeking involved."

"Sounds good," Jinx said, and she turned her back to him.

He stepped into the water with his clothes in his hands tentatively. It was refreshing and felt nice against his hot skin. The water around him began to turn a dirty brown color, but he was just happy that it was no longer covering him.

He closed his eyes and sank underneath the water, running his fingers through his hair and rinsing it as best as he could. When he emerged, he kept everything from his mouth down under the water, his eyes still shut as he basked in his good fortune.

A tap on his shoulder stirred him from his daydream and he turned around without thinking. Jinx was standing behind him, submerged all the way up to her neck. She had taken out her braids, her hair floating in a giant blue mass around her. Ekko couldn't believe how different she looked. Still beautiful, but definitely different.

"I thought we said no peeking?" Ekko shouted, clapping both hands over his eyes.

"The water isn't _that_ clear," Jinx said, splashing around so that their bodies were distorted in ripples.

He felt her hands grab his and she placed them back down.

"See?" she breathed, her voice suddenly extremely quiet. "You can't see anything you don't want to see."

Ekko's hands hesitated, resting on top of the water.

"You took your hair down," he said lamely, feeling his cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I might be crazy, but I don't want all of that shit staying in my hair," she said, dunking her head underwater.

Ekko instinctively covered his nether region with his hands, just in case she tried to sneak a peek. He winced, hating how infuriatingly hot she was making him feel.

When she emerged, she was significantly closer to him, their chests almost touching. She was looking at him with wide eyes, water glistening on the tips of her lashes and falling onto her cheeks whenever she blinked.

Ekko felt strange looking at her like this. It was almost as though he was staring at an entirely different person. Like she was taken straight out of a storybook. Like a princess.

Of course he'd never tell her that. It wasn't worth getting slapped.

"It's not fair," Jinx said suddenly, frowning.

"Hmm, what?" Ekko asked, blinking and shaking his head to free his mind from her spell.

"When you dared me," she said, her eyes shooting back up to look at his.

"I took it back, but then you—"

"You haven't kissed me since," she interrupted, looking as serious as serious could be.

"I thought that you didn't—"

Ekko was floundering in a sea of excuses. None of which made any sense if he thought about them for more than a couple of seconds.

"Well, I do, Weirdo," Jinx said, drooping her head in embarrassment.

"Oh, okay," Ekko said lamely.

Jinx frowned and reared back. Ekko got a face full of water immediately after and Jinx was staring at him, obviously disappointed.

"I thought you were supposed to be Mr. Smooth?" she retorted, getting ready to splash him again.

Before she had a chance to push her hand forward through the water, Ekko grabbed her waist and pulled her close, their feet brushing together against the muddy ground. Her eyes widened in surprise and Ekko's lips muffled anything she was getting ready to say.

His hands found themselves getting tangled up in her hair as he tilted her head back to kiss her more fully. Her hands hung limp at her sides for a moment before she slid them up and down his bare chest. He was rough and he was worn. Her fingers traced the scars along his rib cage, causing him to shiver and pull her closer.

After slow, passionate kisses, Ekko felt Jinx open her lips. She slowly and hesitantly teased his lips with her tongue. Every one of his senses felt like they were on fire. The smell of fresh water mixed with an odd hint of vanilla on her skin and it intoxicated him. Everywhere she touched was set ablaze, like she was shocking him back to life. Helping him feel. Really feel.

She intertwined her fingers with his, and brought his hand closer to her body. He trailed one finger down her neck and across her collarbones. Goosebumps rose up on her skin and he heard her sigh softly. Her teeth nipped at his lower lip in response, making his knees feel like they were about to buckle.

"Do it," she said, spreading out his fingers and placing them in between her breasts.

"Please, for the love of everything good in this world, don't do it!"

Jinx sprung backwards like a frightened cat at the noise, pushing Ekko as far as she possibly could away from her.

Ekko squinted at the shore, failing to see anyone at first. His gaze quickly dropped to the ground where Rumble, Tristana, and Lulu were standing. Rumble was looking particularly peeved, his arms crossed and his toes tapping. Tristana was more amused than anything else, and Lulu either didn't seem to notice or just didn't care. Ekko assumed it was the former. She had a tendency to live her life on the same wavelength as Jinx.

"Humans are more like rabbits than Yordles!" Rumble scoffed.

Tristana laughed. "Ekko! Who's the siren trying to lure you to your death?"

"Cut the crap, rocket girl. You know who it is," Jinx said, ringing her hair out and beginning to braid it again.

"Jinx?" Tristana squeaked, clearly surprised. "You could give Miss Fortune or Nidalee a run for their money with hair like that."

"Pretty bangin', right? But stupid for blowing stuff up. It gets in the way too much," Jinx said, sliding her bikini top back over her chest.

Ekko couldn't believe the scene unfolding before him. Jinx was friends with Tristana? When did they ever hang out? And what were Tristana, Lulu, and Rumble even doing all the way out there?

Ekko put his wet clothes back on underwater, hoping he managed to get most of the dirt out of them before he got…distracted. Wading to shore, he stepped out and shook the water off of him like a dog.

"It's raining!" Lulu said, giggling and holding out her arms to catch the drops that flew off of Ekko.

"Gross," Rumble said, shielding is face with his furry hands.

"What are you doing out here?" Ekko asked, pushing up his hair back into a limp mohawk.

"I could say the same to you, buddy," Rumble said, pointing an accusatory finger at Ekko.

"Rumble, stop," Tristana said, lowering his finger gently. "Lulu said that Pix told her there might be a way to enhance our weapons with magic. She lead us all the way out here."

Lulu smiled innocently. "Pix isn't ever wrong!"

Rumble sighed, rubbing his temple exasperatedly. "Sometimes I think Pix might be a glorified version of Fishbones."

Jinx glared at him, debating whether to finish braiding her hair or blow Rumble's brains out of his head first.

"But I am curious why you're here," Tristana said.

"Pix says that they are on a top secret mission," Lulu said, cupping her fairy companion in both of her hands.

Rumble raised his eyebrows at her but held his tongue.

"Is the floating purple blob right?" Rumble asked.

"I guess," Ekko said. "It's not a huge secret or anything, though. We're just trying to get to Bilgewater."

Tristana's smile fell at his words. Even Lulu looked worried. Rumble, however, was turning bright red. His eyes squinted into dangerously pissed off slits and his mouth contorted into some sort of snarl.

"You know what they're doing to our city, don't you?" Rumble asked, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides.

"Katarina mentioned something, but I didn't—" Ekko started, but was immediately cut off.

"Yeah, those good-for-nothing pirate shits from Bilgewater are trying to blow everything up," Rumble spat.

"Sounds like a Jinx kind of party," Jinx said, joining the group and giggling maniacally.

Rumble scowled at her, but quickly realized that Fishbones was practically the size of him. One bullet could probably tear right through his stomach, his head, or any other area of her choosing.

"Don't expect us to help you get to Bandle City, then," Tristana said.

"Psh, that's fine. You should have seen the last place we destroyed. Way scarier than Bandle City," Jinx said, flipping one braid behind her head cockily.

"Wait," Ekko said, remembering the certain something a certain someone owed him. "What if we made it worth your while?"

"I don't think anything you can offer up will be worth helping the enemy," Rumble said.

Lulu's eyes widened suddenly. She brought Pix up to her ear and smiled brightly. "Pix thinks it will be a good deal," she said, patting Pix on his tiny head gently.

Rumble rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Might as well hear me out," Ekko said, shooting a grateful grin in Lulu's direction.

"Alright, shoot," Tristana said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Awhile ago, I helped Miss Fortune with something. She's in my debt. Pirate's code, you know? Anyway, if you'd be willing to help us get to Bandle City, I'm sure I could get her to stop fighting in your city. At least while she takes us to Bilgewater," Ekko explained.

Rumble and Tristana exchanged tentative glances.

"Deal!" Lulu said, raising her fist in the air excitedly.

"Lulu!" Rumble and Tristana yelled.

Lulu instantly shrunk back, lowering her fist and staring at them with wide, apologetic eyes.

"Looks like you have no choice," Ekko said matter-of-factly, shrugging his shoulders. "One of you is willing to take us and that's more than enough."

"Damnit," Rumble swore.

"Fine. We'll take you," Tristana said. "We need Lulu to take us to the Glade anyway."

"Great," Ekko said, reaching for his backpack to pull out his map. "We were thinking of heading through the Sablestone Mountains, then—"

Rumble laughed. "Yeah, that's not gonna happen. Trist and I have a boat run ashore a few hours away. It should hold you, but humans always weigh more than they say, so who knows?"

"Okay," Ekko said, ignoring Rumble's rude comment.

For a little Yordle, he had more than enough bitterness accumulated for someone as big as a fully stacked Cho'Gath.

"Let's get started, then," Tristana said.

"Jinx, we're leaving," Ekko called, cursing the way his face now flushed merely hearing her name come out of his mouth.

Jinx was bent over by Lulu, the two talking quietly and giggling. Once they finished their conversation, Jinx quickly caught up to Ekko and fell into step beside him.

"Pix is a riot," Jinx said, wiping a tear from her eye from laughing so hard. "Pretty sure I almost busted a gut."

"You can hear that thing?" Ekko asked curiously, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah. You can't?" Jinx asked.

Ekko shook his head. "I guess you are just full of surprises today."

Jinx flushed and she instantly looked away from him; although she could still feel his satisfied grin and mischievous eyes boring into the back of her skull like a laser beam.

The journey to the boat consisted of only a few things. Rumble continuously muttered complaints about how "Yordles shouldn't be under controlled by the whims and manipulations of humans so much" and how he "should have ignored Lulu completely and stayed home" under his breath. Tristana tried to calm him down, but gave up after a few minutes of taking heat on Lulu's behalf. Ekko and Jinx walked in silence, trading off between who felt more embarrassed and who really wanted to talk about what happened between them.

Eventually, the ocean came into view and the tension in the group slowly began to dissipate. Ekko worried about how big the boat was really going to be. Yordles did not exactly have the greatest concept of size. Part of him wished that he and Jinx had gone off on their own, for more reasons than one.

The sand on the shore was extremely gritty and it crunched awkwardly underneath their feet. It was almost as if an ocean was never supposed to exist there in the first place, causing the desert confusion when it appeared and, in turn, becoming a strange combination of sand and mud.

The water was lapping up on the shore in happy, little waves. It was clear for the most part, with grains of sand tumbling around in the water. Lulu instantly began splashing around in it, getting her shoes, tights, and dress soaked with seawater.

"She'll get bored soon," Tristana said.

"She did this on the way here, too," Rumble explained.

Ekko couldn't help but smile. She was so carefree, even in the state of war her home was in. He wondered if Jinx felt like that sometimes, too. Getting out of your own head from time to time doesn't do much for your sanity's reputation, but it probably helps a hell of a lot with stress.

"Jinx gets on last," Rumble instructed, hopping into the boat and helping Tristana and Lulu in after him.

It wasn't exactly a rowboat, but it certainly wasn't a yacht, either. It had an engine with a steering stick that Rumble operated. The inside was lined with three rows of benches and the weight that the Yordles put in it hardly seemed to affect its buoyancy.

Ekko stepped in next, trying to evenly distribute his weight by sitting directly in the middle. The boat bobbed up and down for a few moments, but it still was not close to filling with water.

Jinx stepped in next, first tentatively, and then all at once. Her foot caught on the edge of the boat, sending her crashing downward into Ekko's lap.

"This isn't how I thought we'd get to third base," Jinx said, her voice muffled by Ekko's pants.

Ekko smiled sheepishly at Tristana, who was casting him a rather judgmental look. Jinx sat and situated herself across from Lulu, where she would more than likely remain talking to Pix for the duration of their journey.

"How far is it from here to Bandle City?" Ekko asked, staring out at the seemingly endless expanse of water.

"About an hour or two, depending on the current," Rumble said.

Ekko sighed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. The wooden rows were definitely not meant for extended trips, and Ekko could already feel himself growing restless. Living poorer than dirt for most of his life in Zaun, he rarely experienced any type of sea travel. The first time he went on a boat, he got so seasick within the first thirty minutes that he actually jumped ship to try and swim back to shore. The amount of people crammed in the small space coupled with the hot sun beating down on them wasn't a good mixture in his stomach.

"Got the Jolly Green Giant over here," Jinx said, elbowing him in the side gently.

Ekko chuckled weakly. "Sea travel sucks," he said, clutching his stomach and staring straight out towards the water.

"Puke and you're going overboard," Rumble said sternly, visibly shrinking away from him.

"Aye aye, captain," Ekko responded sarcastically, wishing that his voice didn't sound so shaky.

"Just don't think about it," Jinx whispered.

Ekko flinched when she grabbed his hand at first, as if it was some foreign, intruding object. He soon realized that he had never actually held her hand before. It was small and strangely smooth despite the callouses on her palms. His hand engulfed hers entirely, and her thumb peaked out from the side to stroke the back of his hand comfortingly.

He took a deep breath and hunkered down for what seemed like a tediously long, but relatively easy, trip. They did not pass much of anything on their way. Lulu occasionally claimed to have seen a fish, but nothing that was big or worrisome. Rumble seemed as though he was speeding through the water as fast as the little boat could carry them. Ekko could tell that it was struggling to hold them all, coughing out exhaust in sputtered puffs. Then again, perhaps it was merely Rumble's design techniques? It strangely resembled the organized chaos that was Rumble's battle machine.

When they finally approached the shore, Ekko was the first to jump out. He fell onto the ground sloppily, the ocean water splashing around him as he sloshed towards the sand. Jinx followed quickly behind, picking up Lulu on her shoulders and tooling around in the water for a few moments.

"Alright, Pix! Lead the way!" Lulu exclaimed, holding out her hand to let Pix free.

Pix stared back at her for a moment before hesitantly flying out of her palm and into the open air. Ekko noticed that Pix refused to go very far without Lulu, and vice versa. It had to have been much more than Lulu's sorcery abilities; Pix was her family. Ekko couldn't help but smile at the thought, knowing that having a family to go to when everyone else turns their backs on you is the most important thing a person can have.

"You can risk the other Yordles viewing you as a threat, or you can come with us to the forest and we'll get you into Bandle City with zero problems," Tristana said.

"Why would the Yordles think we're threats?" Ekko asked.

"Because you're humans," Rumble said matter-of-factly.

"No," Tristana said, shooting a glare at Rumble. "Because they won't know if you're fighting for Bilgewater. Bandle City doesn't exactly get tourists on a regular basis—especially tourists of human descent."

"Looks like we don't have a choice, then," Ekko said.

"Yordle prisons are like a miniature, scary amusement park, right?" Jinx asked. "Where everything is super bright and colorful but so small that you eventually die of asphyxiation?"

"Who do you think we are, Crazy?" Rumble asked, rolling up his sleeves and rearing back his fist.

Upon his release, he punched Jinx in the thigh, sending her to the ground in a fit of ticklish giggles.

"Stop!" she said, clutching at her sides. "That tickles!"

Rumble continued to beat on her. "Oh yeah? You think you're so funny? You're nothing but a deranged maniac!"

Tristana pulled Rumble off of Jinx, her tiny arms wrapping around his entire chest. He was panting, glaring at Jinx like she was the sole fuel for his hatred. Ekko helped Jinx off of the ground.

"Stop antagonizing him," Ekko hissed in Jinx's ear.

"I can't help laughing," Jinx hissed back.

"Just don't mention anything else about Yordles or Bandle City or height, okay?"

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Ekko shivered, and realized that nighttime was settling in quickly. The forest was looking less like inviting greenery and a lot more like a terrifying black mass. Pix's purple hue was starting to light up, and the group stuck close by. Lulu's wide smile could be seen even in the dark and the closer they got to the forest, the happier she became.

"Right through here, please," Lulu said, pulling back a few branches to let the group step through.

"It's pitch black in here!" Tristana said, grasping onto Ekko's shirt.

"Just trust me," Lulu said, stomping her foot indignantly.

"I can't see anything!" Rumble said, turning around.

Unfortunately, he was met with a face-full of Jinx's torso. He angrily shoved her, causing her to side step his touch and trip over his foot. The commotion caused Ekko and Tristana to fall forward as well. A mass of limbs tangled together, grunts and curses filled the air as they tried to regain their footing.

Ekko pushed his way to the front, pulling back branch after branch until his breath caught in his throat. The darkened branches disappeared, and were replaced by a blur of rainbow color, flickering like candlelight. The spots of color seemed to be dancing, bobbing up and down rhythmically.

Lulu soon pushed her way through Ekko's legs and Pix followed enthusiastically behind her. As soon as the pair saw their family members, they were greeted with a swarm of colored faeries. Lulu threw her head back and smiled, lifting her arms as Pix and the others lifted her into the air.

"Wow," Tristana breathed.

Jinx was staring at the faeries in awe, the multicolor lighting up her face and making her look like she was made of magic. Ekko was convinced by now that she was.

"So not to break up your reunion, but are we getting magic weapons or what?" Rumble called, cupping his hands around his mouth like a makeshift megaphone.

"Of course!" Lulu said, falling wistfully to the ground and catching her hat lopsidedly on her head. "Pix, go get the Chief and take Rumble and Tristana to him."

Pix nodded and disappeared into a cluster of unidentifiable faeries.

"You live here?" Ekko asked incredulously.

Lulu nodded. "Yordle games are boring, so Pix brought me here when I was really little and the faeries adopted me into their family!"

"That's awesome!" Jinx said, holding out her hand and watching in wonder as a few faeries landed in it.

"If you weren't with me, they'd probably attack you," Lulu said, giggling and twirling as a swarm of faeries surrounded her. "Wait. What?"

Lulu stopped suddenly, holding out her hand so that Pix could land near her ear. Her eyes grew wide and she smiled, nodding fervently as it seemed Pix was giving her some sort of information.

"Ekko?" Lulu asked. "Faeries pick up on emotions easily. Humans are confusing to us sometimes, though. The Chief asked Pix if you are feeling…armored?"

"Armored?" Ekko asked. "I don't—"

Pix slapped one hand to his forehead and whispered in Lulu's ear once again.

"Oh! Enamored?" Lulu corrected herself.

"Enamored?" Ekko shook his head, clearly still confused.

"Are you enamored with Jinx?" Lulu asked, her eyes darting curiously between the pair.

"Like am I in love with her? That's what your Chief wants to know?" Ekko asked.

Jinx dropped her hands to her sides, the faeries darting away from her as she grew instantly timid. Ekko felt his cheeks heat, wanting something—anything—to come out of his mouth. Lulu continued to watch them, completely oblivious to the obvious strain she just put between them.

"Well, I mean…" Ekko started, his hand on his chin and his eyes plastered on the ground.


	10. Get Jinx'd

**Quick Info~**

Coming back again after a slight hiatus with another chapter! :) I'm super stoked about this one, as I am with all of the chapters, to be honest. And let's just ignore the fact that every kissing scene I write is in water of some sort... After writing this chapter I just noticed it. Maybe it's Jinx's kink? 0.0 Anyway, thanks again for all of the wonderful feedback! I've been sick recently and finally got online to check the most recent favorites/follows/reviews. You guys made me feel 1,000 times better!I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! The meat of the plot is just getting started :)

* * *

"Ekko?" Jinx asked, her voice quivering.

"Jinx was part of my family once," Ekko answered. "You can tell the Chief that if you want, Pix. You seem to understand family well."

Lulu nodded and Pix landed on her shoulder. She bounced away happily, her hat nearly falling off of her head as her hair dragged against the ground.

"What does that even mean?" Jinx asked, smirking at Ekko.

"A faerie is interested in my love life and you want to know why I gave it the answer I did?" Ekko asked.

Jinx shrugged. "Humans have weird feelings that are hard for other creatures to understand. That's why I try not to feel 'em."

Ekko nudged Jinx playfully. "Or because you can't understand them yourself."

"Whatever. I'm not the one who gave that awful answer," Jinx said.

"Well, you could ask me yourself, you know," Ekko said, making Jinx stop in her tracks.

"Has the thought occurred to you that I don't care?" she responded, her voice beginning to quiver again.

Ekko forced her to stare into his eyes, holding her gaze like every fiber of his being depended on it. "Has it occurred to you that you do?"

"Stop," she breathed.

"You don't have to worry," Ekko said.

"Yes, I do. Because if you tell me that you're in love with me, then I have to start thinking about how I feel. That ruins everything. I won't be able to talk to you. I won't be able to even think around you," Jinx said, covering her eyes with her hands and dropping to the floor.

Ekko crouched next to her, his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, look at me. Jinx? Please?"

Jinx opened her hands slightly, her eyes peering at him through the cracks in her fingers. "What?" she asked, her voice quiet and defeated.

"I'm just as confused about all of this as you are. I'm not ready to say anything like that. Please don't worry, okay?" Ekko said, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Jinx nodded and fell forward into his chest. He made an audible 'oomph' sound at the sudden contact, but quickly enveloped her in his arms. He wasn't sure how long they sat there like that; his eyes were too fixated on the faeries and his thoughts too fixated on Jinx.

He caught glimpses of Rumble and Tristana for a while, but as the hours passed and they disappeared, he realized they must have gone to sleep. Lulu, on the other hand, was engulfed in some sort of faerie game. She was pointing at what looked like nonsense, but would soon explode into miniature fireworks in the air. No matter how hard Ekko squinted, he was never able to see what was causing the explosions. Magic, he assumed.

Ekko knew that sleeping was going to prove to be a significant struggle as the hours dragged on and no sleep came. Instead, he watched the faeries. They did not seem to sleep, at least in the way that humans do. Their bright colors blurred together the longer than Ekko stared at them, creating a smear of spattered circles that reminded him of lights on a Christmas tree.

It had been awhile since he celebrated Christmas, or any holiday for that matter. After his gang disbanded, special days passed by pretty uneventfully. He couldn't remember the last time he got to blow out the candles on a birthday cake or help hang ornaments on the tree. The gang did all of that stuff together because they were family, but when you don't have a family, celebrating seems useless.

Ekko turned his attention to Jinx, sleeping peacefully on his chest. She usually sprawled out as far as her spindly limbs could stretch, but tonight she was curled up on him completely still. He hesitantly lifted his hand to her forehead, brushing the lose strands of hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind her ear. He might have been confused. He might never fall in love with her, or admit to it if he did, but his feelings for her were as real and present as his breathing.

She was scared for him to admit it, and he could never blame her for it. It was something that they all had to deal with. Constant betrayal was just part of being born in the slums. After awhile, Ekko knew, you had to get smart. You had to start building the walls around your heart with stronger materials so that it would finally stop getting broken. And Ekko also knew that Jinx's walls were thicker than his because of Vi. So he decided to keep his mouth shut about his feelings. For himself. For Jinx. And for the unspoken sacredness of the walls.

* * *

"Thanks for everything, Lulu!" Tristana called, waving as Ekko held back the branches for her.

"Anytime!" Lulu said, scooping up handfuls of faeries in her hat and spinning around until they came tumbling out.

Tristana stepped through the branches and Ekko tucked them snuggly together again. The forest was meant to remain untouched by human hands and the thickness of the branches provided the perfect shelter for the faeries from the outside world.

"She's got guts," Rumble said. "I'll give her that."

"Absolutely," Tristana agreed.

"Did you end up getting the magic you needed?" Ekko asked.

Tristana smiled and slung her gun from her back over her shoulder, smoothing her hand over the shining barrel. "Not as much as we were hoping for, but I've got some new buffs I'm dying to try out on those pirate scum."

"Miss Fortune won't be able tell 'shock' from 'awe' when I'm done with 'er," Rumble said, laughing mischievously.

"Aw man, I should've asked for something for Fishbones!" Jinx whined.

Rumble scowled at her. "Yeah, like the faeries would've helped you. They can smell crazy from a mile away."

"Whatever. Fishbones is already perfect," Jinx retorted, hugging the gun to her chest and planting little kisses along the side of it.

"Bandle City couldn't be further away right now," Tristana mumbled, rolling her eyes before grabbing Rumble's ear and yanking him upward.

"Ouch! Okay, okay. I'll shut up. Stop," Rumble said, batting her hands away and glaring at her.

As Rumble nursed his new injury, the group trudged on in silence. Ekko was grateful for getting to see so many new places on their journey, but there were only so many trees, rocks, and dirt he could pass before each became just another tree, rock, or dirt.

Bandle City was tiny no matter how close they got to it. The buildings were various shades of the rainbow, each with a curved roof and chimney happily puffing out smoke. The ground was mostly cobblestone swirled around each building before fanning out and connecting to the next. Lights strung from the tops of buildings on one side to the tops of buildings opposite. Carts lined the walkways with Yordle vendors advertising their goods on the sides of each street.

Jinx was in absolute heaven, dashing from one cart to the next and pretending to haggle with the Vendors. She stroked her chin and held each trinket up to the sun, out of reach of the disgruntled Yordles.

"I dunno sir, I collect these for a living and this one looks amateurish," Jinx said, squinting at a hand-painted Teemo figurine.

"You're tryin' to tell me that you _collect_ Teemo figures?" the salesman said, his mustache twitching angrily.

"It's a hobby my family has had for generations," Jinx said. "You tryin' to tell me you think I'm a liar?"

Ekko, noticing the heat growing between Jinx and the Yordle, slung his arm around her and snatched the figure from her hands.

"Really sorry about her, sir," Ekko said. "She's not exactly all there upstairs, if you know what I mean."

The man continued to grumble under his breath, taking the Teemo figure from Ekko's hands and cleaning it off with a rag. Ekko steered Jinx back towards Tristana and Rumble, his grip on her shoulders tight.

"You're such a party pooper," Jinx said.

"Yordles and humans don't exactly see eye-to-eye," Ekko said. "It'd be nice if you didn't get us kicked out on our first day here."

"How long are you planning on staying here?" Tristana asked, stopping in front of a purple house lined with white lilies.

"We were just hoping we could use your shower and then we were going to leave," Ekko said, realizing how selfish he sounded as soon as the words came out of his mouth.

"Good," Tristana said, unlocking the door and ushering them inside. "I'm already harboring one fugitive. I don't need three."

Rumble scoffed. "I left on my own."

Tristana's house was as cute and color-coordinated as she was. It was extremely small for a two story, with only two rooms downstairs. The kitchen was bright and open, with nice hardwood floors covering the ground. The living room consisted of one small couch with an equally small television and coffee table. Pictures of all of Tristana and all of her Yordle friends were stuck on a corkboard on the wall with purple and white pins.

"The shower is upstairs in the master bedroom. I'd apologize for the size, but you knew what you were getting into coming here," Tristana said, reaching into a closet underneath the staircase and pulling out two towels.

"You can go first," Ekko said, plopping a towel in Jinx's arms.

Ekko sat awkwardly in one of Tristana's kitchen chairs. He had to scoot away from the table to avoid his knees hitting the top of it. Tristana and Rumble ignored him for the most part, instead discussing battle strategies against Bilgewater. As the minutes passed, Ekko grew more and more restless.

Vi and Caitlyn were so close he could almost feel their presence. In less than two days, he would have Ajuna's goggles back and Jinx would have her new gun. He prayed that Miss Fortune would honor their agreement. Even if she was involved in a battle, she wouldn't refuse him when she listened to his story. She couldn't.

"I'm going to see what's taking Jinx so long," Ekko said, his voice sounding strange to his own ears.

He pushed in his chair and made his way to the staircase. It was cramped and creaky, but he squeezed his way to the top regardless. When he walked into the master bedroom, steam hit him in the face like he had just opened the door to a hot spring. The water was no longer running and he could hear Jinx grunting from outside of the bathroom door.

"Jinx?" he asked, knocking on the door and putting his ear up to it.

No response.

"Hey, Jinx. Open up," Ekko said, tentatively putting his hand on the doorknob.

She still refused to respond. Ekko rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on the doorknob.

"Alright, well I'm coming in," he said, turning the knob and pushing the door open.

Jinx squealed, dropping the towel at her feet and turning her back to him. Ekko's cheeks instantly burned.

"Pervert!" she yelled, glaring at him out of her corner of her eye.

"You…you didn't answer me! How was I supposed to know you weren't dressed?" Ekko asked incredulously, unable to keep a prepubescent sounding squeak out of his voice.

"I couldn't get the towel around my boobs," Jinx said. "I've never had that problem before."

Ekko bit his tongue to keep the chuckle rising in his throat from coming out.

"And I left my clothes on the bed in there and didn't want to get it in case someone was trying to be a perv. Apparently, I didn't even have to leave the bathroom for that to happen," Jinx said, her hands still covering her chest despite the fact that Ekko couldn't see anything.

"I'm sorry," Ekko said sheepishly. "I'll grab your clothes for you, okay?"

"Good," she said.

When Ekko returned with her clothes, she snatched them out of his hands almost immediately. Ekko wanted to tell her that her hair was long and thick enough unbraided to cover up anything she didn't want him to see. But he knew it was futile, so he kept his mouth shut.

Hooking the back of her top, she said, "You can shower now, if you want."

Ekko laughed. "Oh yeah? With you right here?"

Jinx rolled her eyes. "I won't peak. Besides, the glass in there is frosted."

Part of him felt hot all over, embarrassed by the mere thought of showering with Jinx right outside the door. Another part of him yearned to get to Vi as soon as possible, and that part didn't care where Jinx was. He mulled it over for a while, feeling like an idiot standing in the middle of the bathroom floor as Jinx continued to get ready, and eventually decided that leaving as soon as possible was more important.

The shower handle squeaked loudly when Ekko turned it and he winced at the sound. Jinx seemed unfazed as she ducked down towards the mirror to smear black eyeliner around her eyes. Hesitantly, Ekko began to unzip his pants, wondering if she was going to try anything funny. It felt like it was a painstakingly slow process, inching the fabric down his body one leg at a time, but he refused to be made a fool.

Soon, his clothes were in a heap on the floor and he squeezed into the shower. His head poked over the top, his mohawk nearly brushing against the ceiling. The showerhead was spitting out water directly onto his chest and he quickly realized the only way he'd ever be able to wash his face was if he stooped down.

The water was the perfect combination of refreshing, yet still warm to the touch. Ekko let the water run from his forehead to his chin, holding his breath for as long as he could.

"Sneak attack!"

He could barely register Jinx's voice by the time the shower door was yanked open. She sprayed some sort of purple foam directly into the water stream and Ekko was covered in a steadily growing pile of it. He could hear her maniacal laughter still within his reach. Her first mistake.

He grabbed a towel and fastened it around his waist as best as he could before stepping out of the shower towards Jinx. He extended his arms, mountains of purple foam protruding from his body. Jinx screamed and tried to run, but she wasn't fast enough.

Ekko pulled her into his arms, taking handfuls of foam and shoving it in her face. She was still laughing, spluttering whenever the foam would touch her tongue, and trying to wriggle out of Ekko's grasp.

"No fair!" she protested, her hands pushing against his chest with all of her strength.

"You ambushed me," Ekko said, throwing her over his shoulder and walking back into the shower. "Looks like someone got Jinx'd."

Although Ekko was prepared for Jinx to retaliate the second that he put her down, he was not prepared for her revenge to be so…injury free. Instead, she wiped the foam away from her face and pulled Ekko down towards her. When their lips touched, Ekko was moved to a state of thorough shock. Jinx's kisses were messy on their own. Crazy and unpredictable, just like her. And Ekko usually kissed with a decent amount of hesitancy. But as soon as he kissed her back, the two styles meshed together in a perfect balance.

Jinx was the first to pull away, her eyelashes still fluttering in a daze. When she finally opened them, a wide grin spread across her face.

"Looks like _you_ got Jinx'd," she breathed, and her voice made the hairs on the back of Ekko's neck stand on end.

Giggling, she hopped out of the shower and her footsteps disappeared down the hall. Ekko was left standing with his back to the water, feeling rather lightheaded, but more alive than ever before.


	11. The Siege in Bandle City

**Quick Info** ~

I've written and rewritten this chapter so many times, but I'm finally ready to post it! Fight scenes just aren't my forte. I could write fluffy romance all day long, but action scenes are an entirely different story. However, I do like being able to broaden my horizons and practice writing new things, so this chapter was a fun challenge! We're getting towards the end...sort of. I want to thank (again, I know, haha) everyone who has been following Ekko and Jinx's journey so far! This is the longest chaptered fic I've written, and I'm so happy that you guys stuck around to watch it blossom. :)

* * *

"Here's the deal," Tristana said, scribbling lines on a map of Bandle City. "Gangplank's crew is large, but Miss Fortune's is significantly more deadly. They're treating pillaging our city like some sort of competition. I guess Bilgewater is sort of in the middle of their own civil war, or something."

"Leave it to humans to take out the innocent in their own fights," Rumble muttered, shaking his head.

"I think if we can force Gangplank and his crew to retreat, Miss Fortune can take her victory and leave without doing any more damage," Tristana explained, circling a crudely drawn doodle of Gangplank and crossing it out.

"As long as I get to knock in some pirate heads, I'm good," Rumble said.

"Ekko, you will be able to get closest to her," Tristana said, jabbing the pen in Ekko's direction.

"Hold on, Trist. I'm not here to get in the middle of any fights," Ekko said.

Tristana's determined smile faltered and a frustrated frown replaced it. "Then why are you still here?"

"I need Miss Fortune to take me to Bilgewater," Ekko explained. "So I can do as much as try and convince her to leave, but I'm not going to hurt anyone."

Tristana sighed, tapping the pen anxiously on the table. "It's not ideal, but hopefully it'll work. Do whatever convincing you need, but stay out of our way. I'm not responsible if you get caught in the crossfire."

"Deal," Ekko said, standing up from the table and joining Jinx at the door. "Thanks for everything. Good luck."

"You, too," Tristana said.

Before Ekko could close the front door behind them, Jinx popped her head back through the entrance and said, "You need to buy more purple foam for your bathroom!"

Tristana looked up, confused, but Ekko closed the door before Jinx could explain any further.

"Why do you do that?" Ekko asked, massaging his temples and sighing, irritated.

Jinx shrugged. "It's called common courtesy, Weirdo."

"Haven't heard that nickname in awhile," Ekko teased.

Jinx simply smiled and took Ekko's hand in her own. He still could not believe how much his hand dwarfed hers. But hers was infinitely softer in comparison, so he wouldn't bother teasing her about it.

It was strange walking in public and holding hands with her. If he was being honest with himself, he couldn't say that he hadn't thought about it before. Casually walking hand-in-hand with a woman that he was interested in was a luxury that he could never afford. And yet, as chaotic as she was, Jinx managed to bring some sort of normalcy to Ekko's messed up life.

"Duck!"

Ekko hit the ground as soon as the words pierced the otherwise peaceful silence. He managed to drag Jinx down with him, and the pair quickly covered their heads with their hands. The explosion that followed was small, but close enough that it left a harsh ringing in Ekko's ears. When he finally looked up, a pair of tight, fashionable boots were in front of his face.

"I nearly blew your head off thinking you were part of Gangplank's crew," Miss Fortune said, bending down and extending her hand towards him.

"Yeah," Ekko said, grabbing her hand and hopping back on his feet. "Thanks for the warning."

Grasping his shirt tightly in her fist, she pulled Ekko towards her, pointing one of her pistols at the side of his head.

"Unless you _ar_ e part of his crew?" she asked, her voice so quiet and low that it sent a chill down Ekko's spine.

"No way, Crazy," Jinx said, standing and brushing dirt off of her stomach. "He's here to see you."

Miss Fortune seemed surprised to hear another voice, and even more surprised once she saw that the voice belonged to Jinx. She hesitantly released Ekko's shirt at Jinx's reassurance and stepped back to examine him. Ekko grew strangely more embarrassed the longer she looked at him. Her gaze was so intense that he felt as though she could see right through his soul…and his clothes.

"Now isn't the best time, kid," Miss Fortune said.

When she took her eyes off of him to scan the area, he let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding in.

"I know, but you owe me," Ekko said, grateful to find that his voice still had the strength to negotiate credibly.

"To be honest," she said, holding out her pistols and aiming down one of the side streets. "I didn't think the favor would be urgent."

She squinted and fired, the sound of a bullet hitting it's target echoing through the courtyard. Jinx's eyes widened at the sound, as if merely hearing gunfire was enough to spark mischief inside of her, and Miss Fortune blew the smoke away from her gun.

"You shouldn't have left it so open-ended then," Ekko said.

"Alright," Miss Fortune said, rolling her eyes. "Get inside this shop and we'll talk."

She opened the door to a small abandoned bar. The Yordles seemed like they had enough fun without needing any special beverages, so it was no surprise that a bar was closed. The stools lining the counter were so small that Ekko opted to stand. Jinx squeezed into of them, spinning side to side almost habitually. Miss Fortune cracked open a bottle of rum and poured a shot.

"You really came all the way from Zaun to talk to me?" Miss Fortune asked, tilting her head back and downing the shot.

"Yeah. I need you to take us to Bilgewater," Ekko said, lowering his voice and glancing around the room.

It was practically teeming with members of Miss Fortune's crew and Ekko couldn't risk any of them overhearing. He didn't want to discredit her reputation as captain if she agreed, and he definitely didn't want any of them tipping off Vi or Caitlyn on the off chance that they were working undercover.

Miss Fortune laughed. "Gangplank is close to his goal. If I don't kill him now, I might not get another chance. Sorry, Ekko, but you're going to have to find yourself another ride."

"Wait," Ekko said, regretting the words before they even came out of his mouth. "What if I make it worth your while?"

"And how exactly do you propose you'll do that?" Miss Fortune asked, her voice practically oozing with sultry opposition.

"I'll give you anything you want," he said, staring at her with the most sincere expression he could muster.

Miss Fortune laughed again. "I don't know what rumors you heard, but I'm not exactly short on sexual favors. I'll pass."

Ekko felt his face flush bright red and Jinx erupted into a fit of laughter beside him. He shot her an embarrassed glare, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Her boobs are bigger than your thighs. Weak offer, Weirdo," Jinx said, gasping for air in between laughs.

"I wasn't talking about sex," Ekko muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor.

"Don't worry about it," Miss Fortune said, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "I wish I could help you, but I've got long overdue revenge on the table here."

"Captain Fortune!" A crewmember busted through the door, holding a gun in one hand and a bloodied bandage in the other. "Gangplank is retreating."

"What?" Miss Fortune slammed both hands on the table, her voice a dangerous snarl.

"He's got Ziggs and he's about to leave for Bilgewater," the crewmember said.

Miss Fortune loaded her pistols and smiled at Ekko. "Looks like today is your lucky day, kid. Want a ride to Bilgewater?"

Ekko nodded and practically yanked Jinx out of the barstool to follow Miss Fortune out the door. The pace she was able to run at while still maintaining perfect skin and perfect hair was almost impossible. Ekko and Jinx were running out of breath by the time they had made it a few blocks down.

The further they ran, the more sporadic the Yordle buildings became. The cobblestone was slowly fading into sand and there was a clear shot to the ocean a couple hundred feet away.

"If you want to survive, you're going to have to fight," Miss Fortune yelled, firing at one of Gangplank's crewmembers.

"Finally!" Jinx said, loading Fishbones and firing a rocket at a group of men huddled around a crate near Gangplank's ship.

Ekko could hardly believe the scene that was unfolding. Jinx was chucking grenades at Gangplank's ship faster than he could blink and Miss Fortune kept up with Jinx's speed with ease. He could hear a low rumbling in the distance, like hundreds of tiny feet stomping onto the shore. When he squinted, he was able to make out Tristana and Rumble's Yordle army approaching from the west, the pair at the helm, leading the pack.

"For Bandle City!" Tristana screamed, jumping up and plowing into pirates from both sides battling it out near the water.

Miss Fortune had managed to board her ship without a single bullet wound and she was yelling orders at the crewmembers on board. Gangplank's ship was already in the process of taking off.

"Jinx!" Ekko yelled, searching for her blue braids or loud explosions.

"Right behind ya," Jinx said, her back brushing up against his.

"We need to go now if we're going to get onboard," Ekko said.

Jinx nodded and the pair took off at a sprint towards the ship. Bullets whirred past their heads and Ekko was surprised that none of them had at least taken out his mohawk. Jinx looked as though she was having the time of her life. Her lips were curved into an open-mouth smile and her eyes were brighter than Ekko had ever seen them before.

Jinx clomped onboard clumsily, but Ekko was able to slide on with ease. Miss Fortune was at the helm of the ship, grasping the wheel tightly as they prepared to take off. Crewmembers from every direction all had somewhere urgent to be at the exact same time, so Ekko grabbed Jinx's hand and led her down below deck.

He was panting by the time they were safe and he quickly realized that they could have easily died during the skirmish. Jinx seemed completely unfazed, and even looked slightly disappointed—almost as if she wished that she was back out there in the action.

"We just have to lay low until we get to Bilgewater," Ekko said. "Try and avoid any fighting, okay?"

"No promises," Jinx said, glancing wistfully back up the stairs.

Ekko grabbed Jinx's shoulders, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "I need you to promise me."

"Why?"

"Because," Ekko said. "I need you."

Jinx's eyes darted between his, her hands not sure if they wanted to remain at her sides or on his body somewhere. He could see the conflict in her eyes, as if a miniature war was raging inside of her mind. Eventually, she merely shook her head and disappeared back up the stairs.

"Goddamnit!" Ekko screamed, punching a nearby wooden beam. "She's insane!"

Grabbing the railing on the stairs, he propelled himself up them and back into the open. Cannons had been dragged out onto the deck, and each was firing at Gangplank's ship. The Yordles were closing in around the ships. Explosives, magic, and other various objects hurdled towards them. Ekko could make out Tristana and Rumble in the hoard and he felt his heart ache for them. Gangplank had Ziggs and it looked as though nothing was going to stop him from taking his prize.

Ekko frantically looked for Jinx in the mass of smoke, men, and cannon balls. It must have been a miracle that he looked up and caught a glimpse of her. She was shimmying up a pole, headed for the crow's nest. Ekko wished he could say that he couldn't believe she would choose the most vulnerable place possible to fight, but in all honesty, it was an incredibly Jinx thing to do.

"Bye bye!" she yelled, aiming Fishbones at the biggest cannon on Gangplank's ship.

An ear-splitting crack whirred through the air, followed by a large bullet spiraling straight into the cannon. It blew to bits, pieces of fiery debris catapulting into the water and across Gangplank's ship. The kickback from Fishbones launched Jinx backwards and she toppled out of the crow's nest, shrieking as she fell.

"Jinx!" Ekko screamed, dashing towards her and charging up his Zero Drive.

One of the bullets she wore on her belt caught in the sail, tearing it as she slid down. She landed on her feet, one hand touching the deck to steady her balance. Standing, she smiled like a madman and flipped one braid behind her casually, as if she didn't almost stare death right in the face.

Ekko stared at her in shock, the tattered sails flapping around Jinx wildly in the wind.

"You—" he started, but couldn't find a voice for the rest of his words.

"Am a total badass? You got that right," she said, laughing and clapping Ekko on the back.

"Brace yourselves, boys! Magical incoming!" Miss Fortune yelled, turning the ship's wheel as far to the right as possible.

Ekko shaded his eyes and squinted at the shore. To his utter horror, he saw Rumble's machine shaking violently. He knew that the faeries gave Rumble some sort of magical power-up, but he had no idea how far or how deadly they were willing to go with it.

Instinctively, Ekko grabbed Jinx and hit the deck as soon as the tip of the electrical charge shot off. The ship's sudden turn caused everyone on board to slide to the left, but it was just enough to avoid the devastation that followed. Rumble's electrical charge had harnessed enough power to completely encase Gangplank's ship. Smoke billowed up to the sky as fire fanned out on the deck, covering every inch of it. Ekko looked up, watching the pirates as they jumped ship.

By the time the ship had been evacuated, the Yordles had dragged miniature boats into the water and were heading towards the burning wooden carcass in droves.

The box holding Ziggs opened, and he threw explosives behind him to keep his captors at bay. Tristana led the sea fleet, holding out her arms for Ziggs to jump when he reached them. Gangplank was dragging himself towards Ziggs, his expression wild with rage as flames began to engulf his peg leg.

He wasn't quick enough though, and Ziggs was safely in the boat with the other Yordles before he even came close to reaching them. Hazed with anger, Gangplank stepped onto the ship's railing and tried firing his pistols at the tiny boats. Unable to make any progress, he jumped into the water to swim after them.

As soon as Miss Fortune realized what was happening, she dashed down the stairs and hit the side of her ship, panicking as she watched her parents' murderer swim further and further away from her. She hoisted herself onto the railing, preparing to jump in after him.

Ekko leapt up, realizing what she was trying to do, and grasped her arm as tightly as he could. She turned around, surprised and angry that someone had dared to challenge her decision.

"It's not worth it!" Ekko yelled, his voice quieted by the sound of firing weapons and cheering Yordles. "They're going to tear him to pieces!"

Angry tears welled up in her eyes as they darted between Ekko and Gangplank. She tried to yank her arm away from him, but she wasn't strong enough. "No! I'm supposed to be the one to kill him!" she said, her voice cracking as the tears streamed down her face and into the ocean below.

"They'll kill you, too," Ekko said.

When Miss Fortune screamed, Ekko was sure that the entire world could hear her. It was one the most heartbreaking sounds he had ever witnessed. The amount of hurt and anger built up in it reverberated in his chest and nearly knocked him backwards.

She stepped off of the railing and Ekko released his grasp on her. She wiped her eyes and then grinned as her expression locked onto one of the cannons on deck.

"I need the biggest cannon ball we have," she yelled.

Her crewmembers scrambled to their feet, each wanting to be the one to deliver the ammunition that would kill Gangplank. One of the men emerged from below deck within seconds, carrying a cannon ball bigger than Ekko's head.

She was smiling as she loaded the cannon. She was smiling as she lit the fuse. And she was smiling as the ball whirred through the air towards Gangplank. The splash that followed was large enough to propel the Yordle boats to shore and rock her own ship. When the smoke finally cleared, Gangplank was nowhere in sight.

Ekko could see the relief in Miss Fortune's eyes. The triumph. The time spent waiting for a brief moment of victory. He wondered if he was going to feel the same way when they finally caught Vi.

"It's over," she said, her voice hoarse with relief.

Her crew stood in awe, each too stunned to move or even speak. Jinx was even stunned into silence as she stared at Miss Fortune like she was some sort of heroine.

The victory was short lived, though, and Miss Fortune's expression soon hardened as she haughtily sauntered towards the wheel of the ship.

"Don't just stand there!" she ordered. "Fix that tattered sail. Swab the deck. Make yourselves useful. All of Bilgewater needs to know my quest is complete."

The men stood at attention, each saluting their captain before heading in every direction to complete their tasks. Ekko stood still, staring over the side of the boat and watching as the water began to rush past them. The salty ocean mist was splattering on his skin, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the water. It was the only way he'd be able to stand sea travel.

"Well," Jinx said, appearing beside him. "Still think I can't handle myself out there?"

Ekko looked at her and smiled, covering her hand with his own. "No, but I still think I can't handle myself if something happened to you."

Jinx's cocky grin faded and a strange expression replaced it. She was staring at him with an odd sort of wonder in her eyes, her lips curving into a small smile. She didn't say anything, and he was utterly dumbfounded into silence.

But she knew, finally. And she was hoping he knew, too.


	12. Heart's Desire

**Quick Info** ~

And here it is...the chapter I've been most nervous to post since I started this journey! I don't want to spoil it for you guys, but I think this is the climax of Jinx's character development. When I wrote the first draft for this, it was back when Illaoi had first been released. Since then I've done a lot of editing, but I think for the most part I stuck pretty true to the lore that was first released about her. This has been such a wonderful experience and since we're nearing the end, I'm getting sappy. Thank you again to all of the wonderful people reading this. I'll thank you guys every time because your support means everything to me!

* * *

Jinx was standing at the stern of the ship, her head tilted back as she let the mist from the ocean cool her face. The night was particularly quiet, and for once she was grateful that there was nothing to do. Activities had a bad habit of distracting her when she needed to think. _Really_ think, at least.

She felt like she needed to be dunked into gallons of ice water before she felt normal again. Ekko was invading every crevice of her mind and her heart. Jinx knew what it was like to obsess over things—Fishbones and Vi being her go-to thoughts—but this feeling was something else entirely. Thinking about Vi made her angry, and even broke her heart a little. Fishbones made her feel significantly less alone and gave her someone to argue with. But Ekko…

Her breath caught in her throat just thinking about not thinking about him.

It was easy for her to focus on the ocean, since the ship was moving at a steady pace and the water flowed past seamlessly. Occasionally, she could've sworn that she caught glimpses of something in the depths. Something green and ghostly, but she cast it aside since her knowledge of the ocean was less than adequate.

"Fishbones," Jinx said, tearing her eyes away from the water and picking up the gun lying beside her feet. "Ekko is making my brain feel like mush."

"Maybe it's because you have feelings for him!" Fishbones said, animating to life through Jinx.

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. Feelings are for _losers_ , like you."

"Don't be rude just because you're in love. I, for one, think it's beautiful," Fishbones said.

Jinx huffed and threw Fishbones back on the ground. "I should shoot you," she said, pointing an accusatory finger at the gun. "Pow-pow, got any advice on this one?"

She turned to her other, smaller gun. Fishbones was notoriously her favorite, but she would never count out opinions from her other weapons given the chance. She waited for an answer, but silence was all she received in return.

"Yeah, you're never talkative," she said, sighing and sitting cross-legged on the ground.

She put her head in her hand and rested her elbow on her thigh, puffing out her cheeks and watching as her bangs rose and fell from the force of her breath. She grabbed Fishbones and placed it in her lap, running her fingers across the cool metal.

"You really think I'm in love with Weirdo?" she asked, almost inaudibly.

Part of her was afraid that if she spoke any louder, it would somehow make the question all the more real. All the more true.

"Well," Fishbones started, contemplating her problem. "Your heart races whenever you see him and he's the first person you don't want to blow up."

Jinx's eyes widened at the sudden revelation. She tossed Fishbones off of her and stood up, placing both of her shaking hands against her head. She felt dizzy, like the particles working in her brain all decided to quit their jobs at once. She could feel her heart beating in her chest and the thumping was so loud that she was afraid someone would be able to hear it.

She quickly made it to the side of the ship to hold onto something before her legs gave out. The speed she was traveling made her chest hit the railing, and she nearly tumbled overboard at the impact. As she continued to panic, her eyes caught a glimpse of the green mist again. Squinting at it, she found solace in being able to focus on something that wasn't Ekko or feelings or any other bullshit.

Just a little green light, growing steadily the longer she stared at it. She watched, completely entranced, as it crept up the side of the ship. The mist began to swirl upward, taking form as it went. A woman soon stood in the middle of it, staring at Jinx with cold, hard eyes.

"I've always admired your ability to follow your heart," the woman said, her voice a low alto that resonated in Jinx's ears like an echo.

Jinx remained silent, her eyes darting between the woman and the tentacles that swirled around her like some sort of shield.

"I suppose I should introduce myself," she said. "Those who have heard of me call me Kraken Priestess Illaoi. Rumors of a goddess or a monster living near these waters are simply that. Rumors."

Jinx wanted to speak, to make some sort of witty remark, but it was almost as if her tongue was snipped out of her mouth. So she stood still, partially in silence and partially in awe.

"It's quite a shame. I had such high hopes for you," Illaoi continued, the tentacles beginning to straighten around her. "However, those who wish to live in this world must embrace their heart's deepest desires."

Jinx felt her heart leap into her throat, Ekko appearing almost instantaneously in her mind. With a flick of Illaoi's wrist, a tentacle lurched forward, encasing Jinx in its slimy clutches. She struggled to escape its grasp, but it was no use. Illaoi was too strong.

Illaoi walked towards Jinx, towering over her with a terrifyingly magnificent stature. She looked exactly like what people whispered, a goddess and a monster.

"Those who ignore their soul's cries do not deserve a place on this earth," she said. "My duty is to restore our world's motion."

"What do you want from me?" Jinx demanded through clenched teeth.

Illaoi laughed, sending shivers up Jinx's spine. "Unfortunately, where matters of the heart are concerned, two individuals keep fate's path stopped. Your heart yearns for another's, yes?"

"My heart yearns for a ticking time bomb in your chest," Jinx spat.

"The longer you lie to yourself, the less time you both have. Embrace your test and embrace your heart, Jinx. I'll be waiting," Illaoi breathed, her voice menacingly dangerous.

The tentacle turned to a puff of green smoke, dropping Jinx to the floor. She grasped at her clothes, trying to rid them of slime, but none remained. In fact, there was no sign of Illaoi on the boat anywhere.

She flung her body towards the side of the ship, searching frantically for the tiny green light. She sighed with relief as soon as she saw it. It clung to the side of the boat. Waiting, watching.

She couldn't take her eyes off of it. Not if what Illaoi said was true. Ekko's life was in danger because of her. But if she uttered her heart's desire to him, then her heart would be in his hands. And if he crushed her heart, then she knew that the rest of her would be crushed, too. She couldn't give her soul away to someone like that.

Not again. Not ever.

So she decided to keep her focus on the green light. Illaoi couldn't hurt Ekko so long as she remained vigilant.

* * *

The stars somehow seemed brighter the farther away they were from shore. Perhaps it was the absence of smog and city lights, or Ekko was just appreciative of anything that took his mind off of the constant rocking. He was lying on his back on the deck, content with how the stars never seemed to move despite how fast the ship was propelling forward. Jinx was hanging over the edge of the boat, watching the stars ripple in the waves. They were like little pinpoints of light in an otherwise vast darkness, both in the sea and in the sky.

Miss Fortune had retired to the Captain's Quarters and the ship was eerily quiet, except for the occasional sound of creaking wood settling down for the night. Ekko couldn't sleep knowing that Jinx was still awake. He hardly trusted the ocean, and there was no way in hell he was leaving her alone to face whatever lurked in the depths.

"Tired yet?" he asked, turning his head to the side to look at her.

Her arms were crossed on the railing of the ship with her head resting her on them. Her braids were blowing in the cool, night breeze, and in the moonlight Ekko thought she looked almost like a spirit.

"You don't have to wait for me," she said for about the fiftieth time.

Ekko sighed and stood up, stretching.

Walking over to Jinx, he said, "We've already established that that's not going to happen."

She didn't respond.

Ekko traced her gaze to the water and realized she was staring at something a little bit brighter and a little bit greener than the reflection of the stars. He squinted at it, trying to figure out why she was so infatuated.

"What is that?" Ekko asked.

"You see it, too?" Jinx asked, tearing her eyes away from it to look at him.

"Yeah. Do you know what it is? You're kind of freaking me out," Ekko said.

Jinx shook her head, a little too fervently and a little too quickly. "When you were talking busy below deck talking to Miss Fortune, I saw someone—I mean, I stayed out here. When I looked down, I saw this green thing. But it's probably nothing, so you can—"

"Wait, you saw someone?" Ekko asked, tensing as his hand hovered over his backpack, ready to draw his Zero Drive at any second.

Jinx shrugged and returned to staring over the side of the boat. Ekko watched her, realizing that whatever she was looking at was hypnotizing her. The blackness of her pupils was reflecting an eerie green light and the longer she looked, the closer she got to it. She began to inch over the side, her body more than halfway hanging off of the ship.

"Hey! Snap out of it!" Ekko exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her waist and trying to pull her back.

Before he had time to pull her back, he felt something wet and slimy wrap around his body, pinning his arms to his sides. He kicked his legs to try and wriggle out of its grasp, but it was far too strong. Clouds quickly covered the stars and a green mist emitted from every side of the ship.

Ekko yelled for help and he watched as Jinx snapped out of her trance. She screamed and jumped up to try and grab his feet to pull him back towards the ground. When that didn't work, she fired countless bullets into the tentacle holding Ekko captive.

"Jinx, the climax of your test has arrived."

A loud voice boomed in the night sky and Ekko watched as Jinx furiously hurdled every explosive she could fit in her tiny hands in the ocean. Ekko felt the tentacle whip him into the water and he struggled as it pulled him further beneath the depths. The world around him faded as the blackness of the ocean engulfed his vision. His lungs ached for air and, when his body forced him to gasp, he choked on seawater. He could feel the life leaving his body, the sweet embrace of unconsciousness cushioning around him like a pillow.

On the surface, Jinx was firing at the tentacles encasing the ship. Every bullet seemed to go right through them, leaving a ghostly green fog trailing behind.

"Ekko!" she yelled, tears blurring her vision as she chucked grenades in every direction. "Come back!"

"Face your true self," Illaoi demanded.

"Bring him back you bitch!" Jinx shrieked. "Miss Fortune! Someone! Help!"

Her voice was raw and hoarse from screaming and crying. She coughed, trying to bring back the last remaining bits of strength in it. But no amount of shouting was going to do any good. Illaoi must have put Miss Fortune and the rest of her crew under some sort of spell.

"I'm sorry I didn't 'face my destiny.' I can't! Please, just bring him back. He's innocent," Jinx pleaded, falling to her knees and burying her face in her hands.

"Only those worthy can cross my threshold. Become worthy," Illaoi said firmly.

"Show yourself so I can put a rocket through your head! Coward!" Jinx yelled, using the remaining bit of strength she had in her voice.

The storm clouds were covering the sky in a thick mass. Rain beat down on the ship, splattering on the wood in large, loud drops. The waves were growing higher around Jinx, spilling onto the deck and soaking her in seawater. Illaoi was the protector of the ocean, the Kraken Priestess. Once she tested someone, it was impossible to escape from her clutches until the price of the test was completed.

It was hopeless. Ekko would die and it would be Jinx's fault.

Thunder clapped and lightening struck the water beside her.

Amidst the deafening storm, Jinx heard a small but powerful voice say, "Not in my ocean!"

Jinx looked up and shaded her eyes from the rain with her hand. The voice was high-pitched and definitely not Illaoi's. Steadying herself, Jinx stood and stumbled towards the ship's railing. She peered over it, but the waves were too strong and too high. The force of the water knocked her back to the ground and she clawed at the wood, splinters bloodying her fingers.

She lifted her head, spluttering to rid her lungs of ocean water. Her vision blurred, but she was able to make out two figures on deck with her when the waves momentarily subsided.

"He's unconscious. I did what I could," one of the voices said.

Jinx quickly realized that it was Nami, and that she as the one who had interfered.

"Thank you," Jinx said weakly, scrambling towards Ekko's body.

Nami disappeared as soon as she had appeared, but Jinx was hardly worried about that. She took Ekko's face in her hands and brushed loose strands of hair out of his eyes. She felt hot tears on her cheeks as she pressed against his chest with her palms, trying to will him to live.

She could practically hear Illaoi's stern voice in her ear telling her that her method wasn't going to work. She couldn't save Ekko. Not now. Not ever.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, cradling his body in her arms. "Please come back, Ekko. I can't live without you either."

Looking up at the stormy sky, she blinked back tears and rainwater. "Are you happy now?! I said it!" she shrieked, loud sobs escaping her mouth.

"You cannot face your destiny with only half of your heart," Illaoi said, but the waves had subsided nevertheless.

Jinx looked back at Ekko and bit her bottom lip nervously. His skin was ice cold to the touch and was quickly turning a deadly shade of gray. Illaoi wasn't going to stop. He was going to die. He was already there.

"Please, Ekko," she begged, pounding on his chest with her fist. "Don't leave me! I'm in love with you, okay? You're annoying and pushy and a total weirdo, but I do. Please come back..."

She could no longer tell the difference between her tears and the rainwater, as both were falling down her face at the same quick rate. She buried her face in Ekko's chest, clutching at his body like he was her only lifeline. And in that moment, she realized that he really was.

"You passed," Illaoi said, her voice a whisper yet still mercilessly loud.

The clouds cleared from the sky and the rain stopped. Jinx was still crying, soaked from head to toe and freezing. She was too late. She passed the test and kept her life, but failed the only part that mattered to her in the first place.

But when Ekko began to splutter and cough up seawater, Jinx didn't realize what was happening.

"If that's what it takes for you to admit it, I think I should do all of the confessing from now on," Ekko said, chucking weakly, his voice raw.

"You're alive?" Jinx asked incredulously.

Ekko patted various places on his body and then nodded. "Seems like it."

Jinx punched him in the arm as hard as she could, sending him back towards the ground. But she couldn't deny the smile on her lips and the way the dark grip on her heart was replaced with flooding relief. She flung her arms around his neck, pulling him in for the biggest hug she could muster.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Ekko whispered in her ear, his hand cradling the back of her neck.

"You're such a weirdo," Jinx whispered back.

"I love you, too," Ekko said.

Miss Fortune and one of her crewmembers stumbled onto the deck and found Ekko and Jinx, soaked to the bone and holding each other like someone had just died. In more ways than one, someone had.

"What happened out here?" Miss Fortune demanded, but her appearance undermined her stern tone.

Her lipstick was smeared and her curly hair was all over the place. One strap on her shirt was hanging off of her shoulder and the crewmember's shirt was completely unbuttoned.

"We got a little carried away looking at the stars," Ekko said, standing and helping Jinx to her feet.

Miss Fortune cast him an 'I totally don't believe you' look, but didn't question them any further. She and the crewmate disappeared below deck again and left Ekko and Jinx to themselves.

"What now?" Ekko asked, casting Jinx a mischievous expression.

"Knock Vi and Caitlyn's heads clean off, head back to Zaun, and blow some stuff up… _together_ ," she said, waggling her eyebrows at him.

"Will there be face-smashing involved?" Ekko asked, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead.

She looked up at him, positively beaming. "Only if you leave the grenade shopping to me."

"I wouldn't dare come between you and your explosives," Ekko said, laughing.

Jinx stood on her tiptoes, grasping at the collar of his shirt and pulling him down towards her. She locked her lips with his and kissed him like she was never going to get another chance to. It was long and passionate and, for the first time in years, Jinx allowed herself to finally feel the way he was making her feel.

Despite the walls crumbling around Jinx's heart, Ekko was the first to deepen the kiss. She gladly followed suit, her fingertips dancing nervously on his collarbone before trailing down his chest. He pressed his waist against hers in response, making her shiver.

When they disappeared together below deck, Ekko was never happier to have come so close to dying before in his life.

* * *

"Take these," Miss Fortune said, handing Ekko two white pills. "It relieves sea sickness faster than you can blink."

Ekko nodded and downed the pills with a water bottle, praying that they would be able to stay in his stomach until he blinked. Jinx was sitting beside him, trying not to grimace whenever he would bend over an old mop bucket Miss Fortune gave him.

"I can't worry about you anymore though, kid," she said, patting him on the back and standing. "We should be in Bilgewater by nightfall and I've got to prep my victory speech."

"Yeah, thanks," Ekko said, feeling his stomach churn as another wave rolled underneath the boat.

They had been stuck on the boat for two days before Ekko really began feeling the effects of the ocean. He spent a majority of the third laying in his bunk and trying not to projectile vomit on everything. But on the fourth and final day he finally broke down.

Jinx was trying to be supportive, but of course, she was Jinx and so the support came in between waves of weirdness and pulling pranks on Miss Fortune's crew. Ekko was grateful for her, though. At least she took his mind off of how awful he was feeling.

Thankfully, Miss Fortune knew her stuff, and the medicine worked quicker than Ekko expected it to. He was back on his feet in no time and took the remainder of the trip to plan his next move with Jinx.

"This is it," he said, taking out the tattered, sea-and-rainwater-covered map. "Since we don't know exactly where Vi and Caitlyn are, we're going to have to ask around. If they look suspicious or like they're watching you, _don't_ ask them anything."

Jinx sighed and waved her hand in the air, dismissing his instructions. "Yeah, yeah. I'll leave the talking to you. I'm just here for the 'boom,'" she said.

"Vi likes to hang out in seedy bars. It's a good place to make a quick buck, and no matter how hard she tries to admit it, that part of Zaun inside of her won't die," Ekko said and Jinx nodded, surprised by the lack of pain her heart felt discussing Vi.

"I don't think Goody-two-shoes will be okay with that," Jinx interjected.

"That's the second thing we have to worry about. We don't know why Caitlyn went with Vi, so—" Ekko started, but was quickly cut off.

"You're dense sometimes, Weirdo. Vi would never leave her Scissor in Piltover all alone," Jinx said.

Ekko shot a disapproving look at her, but she merely shrugged in return. That type of vulgarity would certainly help them in Bilgewater, so he quickly decided against saying anything to her.

"Despite your opinion of them, they're good at what they do. This won't be easy. Promise me you'll try and stay level-headed?" Ekko requested, covering Jinx's hand with his own.

She stared at him intently, wondering when the butterflies were going to stop raging a war in her stomach. Her confession had made things infinitely harder, just like she knew they would. However, she felt a million times lighter and she was infinitely grateful for that.

"I'm your explosive. I won't fire unless you want me to. Pinky-promise," Jinx said, holding out her pinky.

Ekko rolled his eyes, but couldn't keep the grin off of his lips. He curled his pinky around hers and kept his grip tight so she would know that he believed her. Despite nearly dying, ever since her confession, he felt at ease. Life was easier, yet more exciting. Terrifying, yet completely and absolutely exhilarating. She was like taking a gulp of freezing air that set his lungs on fire at the same time.

"Land ho!" Miss Fortune yelled, her voice muffled by the wood between them yet still strangely loud.

"Ready?" Ekko asked.

"Ready," Jinx said.

They exchanged a brief glance, knowing that there was too much to be said in the little amount of time that they had. Everything that had happened to them, everything that they went through, they did it together. The remaining hours of their journey wouldn't permit time to sort out their relationship, so the look shared between them would have to do for the time being. Somehow, Ekko knew that it was enough.

"You're alright, kid," Miss Fortune said, squeezing Ekko's shoulder as the ship docked on shore.

"Thanks again for the ride," Ekko responded.

"If I'm ever short on favors, I'll give you a call," she teased, winking at him and laughing in a way that only she could make sexy.

Jinx broke down again, clutching her sides as Ekko's cheeks burned with embarrassment. Miss Fortune's crewmembers finished drawing out the gangway, each readying themselves to escort her. Instead of taking any of their arms, she drew her pistols and graced the shore herself.

She was long gone by the time that Ekko and Jinx reached the shore. Although his legs felt wobbly, he genuinely thought about dropping to his knees and kissing the sand. Jinx was having an even harder time getting rid of her sea legs, and her butt hit the ground more times than a toddler learning to walk.

The nearest tavern was only a couple hundred feet away, and the broken fluorescent lights on the side made it the perfect place to start looking. Ekko felt his heart begin to race. He could practically feel Ajuna's goggles in his hands again.


	13. Luck be a Lady

**Quick Info~**

They made it to Bilgewater! Vi and Caitlyn are within their grasp, and I'm a mess because this journey is coming to an end. All of the places mentioned in this chapter (aside from the tavern) are actual places according to the Bilgewater lore . So if you want to know exactly where they're at, the League wiki page is super helpful. A big thank you again to everyone checking this out! :) You guys are the bomb, as Jinx would probably say.

* * *

The tavern was exactly what Ekko expected it to be. The interior smelled heavily of liquor, cigars, and salt. Beer bellied men snuck perverted peaks at large breasted women looking to make a sucker out of them for the night. An old man with an eye patch hunched over the bar, promising to make one more drink for the poor souls who's pockets ran dry hours ago.

"Smell that?" Jinx whispered, nudging Ekko in the side and taking a big, dramatic whiff. "That's _opportunity._ "

"I'm going to ask if anyone has seen Vi or Caitlyn. Try and stay out of trouble," Ekko said, taking a seat at the bar and ordering the first thing he saw on the menu.

"Don't look like you belong in a place like this," the bartender said, pushing the drink towards Ekko.

"I don't," Ekko said honestly. "But I was hoping that you might be able to help me."

The man raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "You and everyone else in this godforsaken dump."

"I'm looking for someone. A woman," Ekko said, lowering his voice and leaning forward.

He tried not to grimace when the liquor touched his tongue. It was strong and the back of his throat burned as he choked it down.

"Take your pick. I'm sure any of the ladies here would prefer you," the bartender said.

"She's a really specific woman. And she came here with another woman," Ekko continued.

The bartender's eyes widened. "Looks like you're barking up the wrong tree there, son. Seems like she's into a whole different basket of cherries."

Ekko sighed, feeling like he was having another conversation with Jinx rather than with someone that could actually be helpful. "She's got pink hair and might have been carrying huge gauntlets. Her friend has a tall hat and an accent."

"Sorry. Can't say I've seen 'em," the bartender admitted and Ekko knew he was telling the truth.

Ekko sighed and slumped over the table. He was tired. His stomach had been completely emptied, yet he was still too queasy to think about eating. He swirled one finger around the rim of his glass and used it to watch over Jinx in its reflection.

"Don't worry. Vi and Caitlyn are in Bilgewater," a voice with a thick drawl said, and Ekko jumped up at the sound.

Turning his head slowly to the side, he noticed two things. First, a wide-brimmed hat, slightly tattered and shielding the man's eyes. Second, a full beard, stopping just beneath his lips and wickedly pointed at the end.

Tobias "Twisted Fate" Foxtrot.

Ekko had only heard rumors about Twisted Fate, and from the little he heard he knew that Fate was a swindler. He carried his cards everywhere, constantly shuffling them between tattooed fingers.

"I know that," Ekko said, hardening his voice in an attempt to sound intimidating.

"Seems to me like that's _all_ you know," Twisted Fate said, smirking as he slid a single card towards Ekko.

"What's this?"

"I might be privy to the ladies' whereabouts, boy. But information like this don't come cheap," Twisted Fate explained.

"What happens if I lose?" Ekko asked, taking the card but leaving it face down on the bar.

Twisted Fate laughed, throwing his head back and downing a glass of butterscotch colored rum. "I tell Vi and Caitlyn that you're looking for 'em. What do you say? Want to play?"

Ekko furrowed his brows, weighing his options internally. Twisted Fate was a conman, that much he knew to be true. Everything else was merely up in the air as to whether or not it was the truth. If Ekko won and Twisted Fate was lying, then he would be back to square one. That didn't seem so bad when he considered the high possibility that he would lose, thwarting the entire mission and losing Ajuna's goggles forever. But he couldn't afford to waste anymore time and Twisted Fate might have been the only person in the general vicinity who could identify Vi and Caitlyn by name.

Ekko swallowed and tilted his head to both sides, cracking his neck. "How do you play?" he asked, praying that he wouldn't regret his decision.

Twisted Fate smiled devilishly and began to fan out the cards in front of him. "It's a simple game, if Lady Luck is on your side. I'll remove three cards from the deck, one a Joker and two at your selection. All you have to do is pick the Joker to win."

"How do I know you're not going to shove the Joker up your sleeve and replace it with something else?" Ekko asked.

"Smart boy," Twisted Fate said, rolling up his sleeves and showing Ekko his bare wrists. "But I like to play fair."

Ekko nodded and settled into the barstool, already feeling his stomach clench nervously. Twisted Fate plucked a Joker out of the deck and placed it face up on the bar. He then held the rest of the cards in front of him and motioned for Ekko to pick two.

Ekko drew a Four of Hearts and a King of Spades and set them face up next to the Joker. Twisted Fate pocketed the rest of the cards and picked up the three they were going to play with. He began to shuffle them openly, attempting to prove to Ekko that there was no foul play taking place.

"Best two of three," Twisted Fate said, holding the cards out for Ekko to choose.

He thought about it long and hard, staring at each of the cards and studying even the minutest details. Tentatively, he lifted a shaking hand and picked the card on the far left. Twisted Fate smiled and flipped the card towards Ekko. He felt his heart sink as the face of the King of Spades shown back at him.

"Don't sweat it," Twisted Fate said, shuffling the cards again. "Lady Luck makes her appearances when she pleases."

Ekko wiped his hands on his pants, ridding them of sweat. They felt hotter and clumsier than usual, like he was going to knock everything over simply from nervousness.

The cards were fanned out again, and this time, Ekko didn't think about it. He reached blindly for one and grabbed the card in the middle.

"Look at that," Twisted Fate revealed, flipping over the Joker. "Gettin' the hang of it, I see."

"You said it was just luck," Ekko said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"That I did," Twisted Fate mumbled, shuffling the cards for the final round.

Ekko felt dizzy watching him shuffle. He wondered what was really in his drink and hoped that it wasn't like the liquor at Draven's house party. The room started to feel hotter; the cigar smoke clouded his vision. His mouth felt too dry, and he knocked over a glass trying to order another drink. It shattered on the floor, but Ekko barely heard the sound.

Instead, the thumping of his heart and the blood rushing through his veins filled his ears with an anxious rhythm. All of his senses were honed in on Twisted Fate and his shuffling. The slapping of the cards against his fingers. The nimbleness of his touch. The smell of wet leather and smoke.

"Good luck," Twisted Fate said, and his voice boomed in Ekko's ears.

Ekko's eyes darted from card to card, trying to distinguish them. He couldn't remember what the Joker card looked like from the back and he wished that he hadn't picked it blindly. Twisted Fate could no longer keep the grin off of his face. It was what he lived for—the nervous adrenaline of losing everything because of a single choice.

"Pick the one on the left," Jinx said, and her voice brought Ekko back from his panicked state.

"We can't be wrong," Ekko said, unable to tear his eyes away from the cards.

"Trust me," Jinx said, reaching for his pinky and giving it a tight squeeze with her own.

Ekko took a deep breath and nodded, his finger barely brushing the top of the card on the left. Twisted Fate smirked and Ekko's heart sank. He could feel Vi and Caitlyn slipping away from his grasp and there was nothing he could do about it.

"They're at a rundown motel in Rat Town. On Fleet Street to be exact. Congratulations," Twisted Fate said, dropping the Joker card in front of Ekko and rising from his seat at the bar.

Ekko couldn't believe it when he saw the card. Part of him kept waiting for Twisted Fate to tell him that it was a rouse, but Fate had exited the tavern and was making his way down the street, whistling an old river tune.

"Hey, Weirdo," Jinx said, snapping her fingers in front of Ekko's face. "You did it. Snap out of it."

"No," Ekko said, turning to Jinx and smiling. " _We_ did it."

"Well, I mean, yeah. Okay. But it was mostly me," she teased as Ekko pulled her in for a kiss.

"How did you know which one it was?" Ekko asked.

Jinx smiled and tapped him playfully on the nose. "A good magician never reveals her secrets."

"Thank you, though. Seriously," Ekko said. "Hopefully, Fate held up his end of the deal honestly. We can ambush them first thing tomorrow morning, but we have to get to Rat Town first."

Jinx nodded. "Rat Town is about to become Flat Town!"

* * *

"I think Rat Town is already Flat Town," Jinx muttered, rolling around on the bed for the hundredth time.

"We didn't pay for a five star hotel," Ekko said, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the rustling sheets and Jinx's irritated groans.

"We didn't pay to use cardboard as a mattress, either," Jinx retorted, huffing and sitting up, draping her legs over the side of the bed.

She rubbed her eyes with her hands, obviously tired after such a long day. Ekko sat up and moved beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her towards him.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay," Ekko whispered.

She ran her fingers absently across his bare chest. "I know," she whispered back. "Ugh this is just too much thinking!"

She flopped backwards on the bed and pressed both palms to her forehead. Ekko laid beside her, tracing his fingers in circles around her bellybutton. His elbow was propped up on the mattress, his head resting in his hand.

"What's up?" he asked gently, so as not to push her.

"I'm scared of seeing Vi again," Jinx admitted, her voice hollow.

"Come here," Ekko said, and Jinx turned on her side to face him.

They were only a few inches apart until Ekko brought Jinx into his arms, her against his chest. Her hands were balled into fists, shaking slightly as she buried her face against his warm skin.

"She can't hurt you anymore," Ekko whispered, running his fingers through Jinx's braid-less hair.

"I know, but _I_ can still hurt me," she admitted. "Vi's been gone since all this new stuff happened. I don't want her to change me back."

"Please look at me," Ekko said, lifting Jinx's chin with his fingers.

The moonlight was coming through the curtains and casting a bright light on the bed, illuminating Jinx's face. Her skin was cold to the touch and she was trembling. Ekko could see the little girl he remembered in her eyes and he realized what falling in love with her did. It made her vulnerable again. Broke down all of the walls that Vi's leaving forced her to build.

"No one can change you," Ekko continued, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. "You're way too strong for that. You're not the same person you were back then. Seeing Vi is only going to prove that. I promise. And I'm gonna be there for you every step of the way."

The glassiness in Jinx's eyes faded as the fear began to subside. She clutched at Ekko's back, her nails digging into his skin.

"I believe you," she whispered, and her words meant more to Ekko than any 'I love you' ever could.

"You've got a lot of blowing up to do tomorrow, so get some sleep, okay?" Ekko brushed back her bangs and placed a kiss in their stead.

Jinx was well on her way to unconsciousness by the time Ekko spoke. He settled under the covers, and let her hold onto him for as long as she needed. Personally, he hoped it would be for the rest of his life.


	14. The Choice of a Lifetime

**Quick Info** ~

Wow! It's been quite the hiatus! I regret being gone for so long, but unfortunately too many real life things got in the way of me being able to update. This chapter required so much editing. I think I scrapped it and rewrote it a handful of times. :) However, the finished product is finally here and I am super excited to show you guys! I hope those of you reading this in the past haven't given up on me yet. I'd also like to give a big shoutout to anyone new to the story! Thank you for your continued support and hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait (since there are only about three chapters after this one, anyway).

* * *

The morning was abnormally hazy. The sea fog made its way inland eerily, and by the time Ekko and Jinx woke up, the mist was looming outside of their window in a thick mass. It was fitting, Ekko thought, for the city to attempt to resemble Zaun. It was just further proof that Ajuna's goggles belonged with him, back at home.

The rundown alarm clock in their room beeped irritatingly, but Ekko had been awake for hours. Jinx mumbled something and rolled over on top of him, her hand flopping across his chest. Part of him, the part that was growing steadily as the hours passed, hesitated to wake her up. His ears rang with Jinx's fears of seeing Vi again, and the terrified tremble in her voice reverberated in his chest hollowly.

He didn't want to hurt her. He couldn't.

But Ajuna needed him. Yet Jinx needed him, too.

So he sat there, listening to the alarm clock as the only solace from his thoughts. And he sat there, listening to Jinx's even breathing. And his heart ached as soon as he touched her shoulder, praying the woman she woke up as would be the woman she stayed.

She jolted up as soon as his fingers brushed against her skin. She stretched wildly and yawned, arching her back so far that Ekko wondered if she had any bones in her body to begin with. Blinking, two wide pink eyes stared at him grumpily.

"Morning sunshine," Ekko teased.

"Ah, so you've decided you want to die, then?" Jinx asked, rubbing one eye with her fist as she pouted.

"I know it's early," Ekko said. "But the sooner we can get to Vi and Caitlyn, the better. Waiting around like this makes me anxious."

"And not sleeping makes me tired," Jinx retorted.

"You can sleep all you want on the way back," Ekko said, throwing the covers off of both of them and feeling his skin prickle with goose bumps as the cold air wafted in.

"So what's the big plan, Weirdo?" Jinx asked, walking over to the bathroom mirror before beginning to braid her hair.

"I'm going to try and talk Vi into giving the goggles back peacefully," Ekko said.

Jinx snorted. "Ha! Like that'll work."

"And if she doesn't," Ekko said, a mischievous grin spreading across his lips. "That's where you come in."

Jinx eyed him from the reflection in the mirror. "Now you're speaking my language."

"I think you should hide while I negotiate with her, and as soon as you think things aren't going well, jump out and cause some Jinx-style disorder."

"Disorder is my middle name!" Jinx exclaimed, jumping around to face him.

"Right," Ekko said, nodding and shaking his hands at his sides to rid them of nervous tension. "As soon as you're ready, let's go."

Jinx walked over to Fishbones and Pow-pow and hoisted them over her shoulder. She rubbed the sides of each, probably for good luck, and then walked over to Ekko. Standing on her tiptoes, she gave him a quick kiss.

"Just in case Vi blows your brains out. It's for good luck," Jinx said.

As soon as her back turned, Ekko touched his lips gingerly. The kiss had sent electricity through his veins, sparking his adrenaline rush. It was almost as if she successfully sucked all of the nervous energy out of him in a simple touch.

She cast him a backwards glance, biting her lower lip before breaking out into a wide smile. Ekko returned the look, hoping with all of his might that they were going to make it out alive.

* * *

The walk into the heart of Rat Town didn't take long enough for Ekko to gather his thoughts. The streets were virtually empty, aside from the occasional homeless seadog muttering about tentacle goddesses or shifty gamblers. The fog had somewhat subsided, although it completely blocked out the sun and left Ekko feeling cold and sticky.

The motel that Twisted Fate claimed Vi was staying at was on the left side of the street near the end of the road. It was completely broken down, with garbage littering the walkway in front of it and rats scurrying around damaged, rotting crates.

"Looks like its called Rat Town for a reason," Ekko said, wishing that his voice could have held some sort of humor instead of its strange, stony replacement.

When Ekko reached the front door, he stopped, waiting for Jinx to give him the 'okay.' She nodded, and unlocked the safety on Pow-pow, white-knuckled as she gripped it.

Ekko held his breath as the door creaked open, realizing that Vi and Caitlyn could have been anywhere in the motel, including the front lobby. He was going for more of a surprise ambush than an awkward discovery, and running into them at the front desk would definitely fall under the 'awkward discovery' catagory. So when the lobby appeared empty—except for a crusty desk attendee, half asleep with a newspaper lying across his protruding stomach—Ekko sighed with relief.

Jinx nudged Ekko as soon as they stepped inside of the motel and pointed to a grate above them.

"I can try and follow you up in the air ducts as soon as we figure out where Fat Hands is," Jinx suggested, her voice a harsh whisper.

Ekko nodded and then unexpectedly scooped her up, bridal style. Sauntering to the counter, he placed a big, wet smooch on Jinx's cheek.

"Hello, my good man," Ekko said, smiling widely as the desk attendee grumbled and struggled to get out of his chair.

"What der ya want?" he asked, pulling up his pants and then sighing as they inevitably sagged back down.

"My wife and I here are newlyweds looking for a room with a little privacy, if you know what I mean," Ekko said and Jinx waggled her eyebrows in response, catching onto what he was trying to do.

"Not exactly the bes' place to take yer wife on a honeymoon," the man retorted, but opened up a dusty binder filled with room keys anyway.

"We're meeting some friends who couldn't make it to the wedding first, though," Ekko said as Jinx played with his hair absently. "Would you be able to tell me where Vi and Caitlyn are staying?"

"Sure, whatever you need. Happy ter help with anythin'. You know the drill," the man said sarcastically, flipping through the pages in the registry. "Room 21 B."

"Thank you so much, kind sir," Ekko said, placing Jinx on her feet and draping his arm around her shoulders.

"If you need anythin', please don't hesitate to _not_ ask," the man said, flicking his wrists to bring the crinkled newspaper back into his line of sight.

"Of course," Ekko said, leading Jinx quickly up the stairs.

They creaked with every step, which would have made Ekko nervous if he wasn't flying up them at top-speed already. The stairs stopped at the base of a musty hallway, the carpet stained and damp. Some of the numbers above the rooms were hanging off of their hinges, while others were simply missing entirely. Thankfully, they didn't have to go very far to find an entrance to the air duct. A rusty, bent grate was next to the first room on their right.

"I'll give you a boost," Ekko said, getting down on one knee and holding out the palms of his hands, locking his fingers together.

"Call when you need me," Jinx said, stepping into his hands and balancing as he lifted her into the air.

She skillfully yanked the grate off of the wall and let it clamber to the floor. Hoisting herself up with her arms, she wiggled inside of the duct and scooted along the cold metal.

Ekko watched as she disappeared around a corner and then followed the path she took out on the floor. Thankfully, it wasn't too hard to find Room 21 B, and he was standing in front of it in no time. The door handle seemed to be a million miles away from his fingers. His hand hovered uneasily in the air, unsure whether or not to grab the handle.

He shook his head first, and then the rest of his body, and grasped the handle. It seemed to take forever before the door finally opened, each second feeling like a millennia as his hand held onto the knob as if it were stuck with glue.

It didn't take long for Ekko to find Vi once the door opened. An armchair was already facing the door, and Vi was sitting in it with one leg crossed over the other as if she had been patiently for him waiting the whole time.

"The boy who shattered time," Vi said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her thighs and her chin in her hands. "I was wondering when you'd get the guts to show up."

"Ajuna's goggles," Ekko said, stepping into the room and clenching his fists at his side. "They don't belong to you."

Vi laughed, and the lilting sound made Ekko's stomach flip flop.

"I could say the same to you," she countered.

Ekko caught a glimpse of blinking pink eyes in the air duct near the ceiling behind Vi. Jinx was watching intently, holding Fishbones and Pow-pow beside her. He wondered what she was thinking, but only for a moment, before refocusing all of his attention on Vi.

"I don't want to hurt you," Ekko said, and he winced as Vi scoffed. "So I'm just here to talk."

"Ekko," Vi sighed, standing and walking towards him.

She smelled like coconut and metal, and the familiarity of it all made Ekko feel sick. He hadn't really spoken to her since she decided to leave. It was like she was ripping open old scars with her giant gauntlets merely by looking at him.

"I don't have any reason to keep Ajuna's goggles," she said, her raspy voice strangely gentle.

"Then hand them over," Ekko said, his expression hardening as he tensed every muscle in his body in an attempt to puff himself up.

When they were together, Vi was pretty much as tall as him. She often joked about how she was going to pass him soon and he was going to be the one wearing heels to events. But that was a long time ago, and Ekko had shot up like a beanpole since then. He didn't exactly tower over her, but he was a decent head taller.

"I'm gonna be honest with you," Vi said, her piercing blue gaze dropping to the floor. "I knew what was going to happen."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Jinx is insane," Vi said. "Of course she'd come with you to get to me."

He could almost feel Jinx's heart squeeze at the mention of her name on Vi's lips. Part of him expected her to bust through the duct at that moment, firing bullets like Vi was merely cardboard target practice. But she didn't, and that's how Ekko knew she was going to be okay.

"But she'd never pass up an opportunity to destroy your city while you're gone," Ekko countered.

"Yeah," Vi said slowly, as if contemplating the situation with every drawn out syllable. "It's easy to make this work for both of us."

"What are you talking about?" Ekko asked.

"Hand over Jinx and you can have the goggles back," Vi said, and her words felt like she had just punched him in the gut.

His eyes immediately darted to where Jinx was hiding. She was already staring back at him, her eyes wide and glossy, as if she was waiting to bring back all of the walls she had broken down.

Vi laughed. "Don't tell me that after your escapades around the world, you've fallen in love with her? This isn't just some cheesy romance flick."

Ekko looked back at Vi, his heart sinking as the seconds passed. Vi was holding the goggles in her fist, the strap tightened around her wrist. He could feel Ajuna's spirit alive inside of them, urging him to just grab them and leave Jinx to fend for herself.

"I am," Ekko whispered, fighting the goggles' magnetic pull and forcing his hands to stay planted at his sides.

Vi stopped laughing in an awkward choke, and snapped her wrist back at her side. The goggles bounced, clacking against her hip, and then resting still again.

"Ah, I get it," Vi said. "She makes you feel like going crazy is the better option. She makes it look _fun._ But this isn't a game anymore, Ekko. She'll destroy everything you love if you even come close to hurting her feelings."

"You don't know her like I do," Ekko said, anger beginning to bubble up inside of him, threatening to spill over into his blood stream. Into his soul.

"You sure?" Vi asked. "Blood is thicker than water. And Ajuna is more of your family than Jinx is. He died admiring you, and you killed him. Don't you think you at least owe him peace?"

"Shut up!" Ekko yelled, widening his stance and pulling out his Zero Drive. "This ends _now_."

"Then choose," Vi demanded, thrusting the goggles in front of his face.

Ekko looked at Jinx, her fingers clasped around the beams on the grate. He looked at Vi, dangling the goggles in front of him.

"Fine," Ekko sighed, defeated. "I choose—"

"Boom. Headshot," Caitlyn said.

Ekko saw the bullet before he heard the sound of the gun crack. A collapsed body hit the air duct with a muffled thud, and Ekko watched in horror as the barrel of Caitlyn's gun was aimed at Jinx.


	15. Past or Present

**Quick Info~**

Sorry about the updates being so few and far between! This story is a monster to edit, especially since my writing style has changed slightly since the first draft of this was written. So I'd just like to give a big thanks to someone I know in real life who's been pushing me to update. This is for you, Chase! :) I'd like to think of this chapter as one of Ekko's biggest character development moments. We've seen a lot of Jinx's development as she realizes her feelings for Ekko, but Ekko has pretty much stayed the same. However, with Jinx captured and Vi and Caitlyn ready to head back to Piltover with her in tow, the true test of Ekko's character will be forced to shine through! Thanks again to everyone who's stuck by me throughout this journey! You guys never cease to make me smile. Enjoy the chapter and feel free to let me know what you think!

* * *

Water was dripping from the ceiling somewhere, each droplet hitting Jinx's nose on the way down. The ground was cold and rough, like she was lying on broken cobblestone. Aside from the stinging smell of iron, which Jinx quickly recognized as her own blood, the surrounding air smelled musty and felt thick.

She was breathing heavily; her eyelids felt like ten tons of weight were resting on top of them. Her fingers tingled numbly, the shackles binding her to the floor clanging against each other whenever she tried to move. Her mouth tasted just as metallic as the air smelled and her throat burned for water. She stuck out her tongue, hoping to catch a few of the water drops falling from the ceiling. It tasted bitter and she coughed, pulling herself against the prison wall to rest her head on it.

"Looks like we finally caught the loose cannon," Caitlyn said, long fingernails tapping against the metal bars on her cell.

Jinx flopped her head to the side and groggily looked at Caitlyn. She tried to make some sort of smart-ass remark, but no words came out. So she just stared at Caitlyn, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"Shame your boyfriend chose a piece of eyewear over you," she continued.

"He wouldn't," Jinx said, her voice shaking as thousands of memories flooded into her mind all at once.

Their plan wasn't supposed to happen the way that it did. In all honesty, she wasn't even sure how she was found out. Sure, keeping quiet wasn't usually her mode of operation, but she was sure she kept her promise to Ekko to remain silent.

"You shot me," Jinx spat.

"Because he didn't choose you," Caitlyn said.

"That's a lie. You're _lying_ ," Jinx croaked, her voice sore despite its lack of use.

Caitlyn laughed. "Believe whatever you want. He's on his way to Zaun right now, and you're never getting out of here."

Jinx frantically searched for Fishbones and Pow-pow, the chains keeping her from moving any further than one or two feet.

"You're gonna die," Jinx said, glowering at Caitlyn while somehow still managing to smile mischievously. "And I'm going free."

"Good luck with that," Caitlyn said, turning on her heel and walking haughtily out of the room.

Jinx opened her mouth and a half-shriek, half-cackle emitted from it. She pounded her fists against the ground, angry tears mixing with the dirt.

Ekko betrayed her. Just like Vi. Just like everybody else. And they were _all_ going to die.

* * *

"Take them," Vi said, tossing the goggles to the ground at Ekko's feet.

"What did you do to her?" Ekko yelled, charging up the Zero Drive and pressing it for the tenth time.

He was sure he had hopped back in time again, since Vi was holding the goggles once again. But it wasn't far enough. Why could he never go back far enough?!

Vi laughed and began unwinding the goggles from her wrist. "Take them," she said again, tossing the goggles to the ground at Ekko's feet.

"Stop it!" Ekko demanded, sinking to his knees and dropping the Zero Drive beside him. "Where is she?"

"Kid," Vi said. "Caitlyn and I aren't monsters. She's still alive. Shot with a tranquilizer dart."

"I didn't choose this," Ekko whispered, more to himself than to her. And to Jinx, somewhere out there, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

"If you really loved her, it wouldn't have been a hard choice," Vi said, shrugging.

"I'm gonna find her," Ekko said, picking up the goggles and clenching them tightly in his fist.

Vi shook her head. "She'll die if you try. The tranquilizer had a special poison in it. If you even come within a few hundred feet to break her out, Caitlyn will just activate it."

"You claim you're doing your job to help people, but you're the reason Jinx is the way she is in the first place," Ekko said darkly.

A pause.

A single pause was all it took for Ekko to realize he had hit a nerve.

"Get out," Vi said, her voice low and menacing as pain flashed momentarily in her eyes.

He didn't move.

"Get out!" Vi shrieked, turning to pick up one of her gauntlets before chucking it in Ekko's direction.

He dodged and disappeared from the room like he was never there in the first place. Vi felt her throat tighten and the corner of her eyes prickle with hot tears. She moved slowly to where the gauntlet had fallen, brushing her fingertips over the hole it left in the wall. She didn't need him to remind her that she didn't remember.

Ekko tumbled out of the motel, trying to run faster than his legs could carry him. Caitlyn had swooped in and picked up Jinx's comatose body faster than Ekko could blink. She disappeared out the window and that was the last Ekko saw of her. He wasn't sure if Vi knocked him out afterwards, but his head was positively pounding and his vision blurred.

He was stumbling blindly around the city, spinning in circles and examining every rotten, salt-infused crevice. The more he tried to read Caitlyn's mind, the more his head hurt. By the time he realized he was no longer in Rat Town, it was too late.

* * *

"She's been screaming for you for the last hour," Caitlyn said, standing from behind a broken down desk and massaging her temples, obviously irritated.

"I don't want to see her," Vi said, storming past Caitlyn and slamming her gauntlets down on the desk.

The combination of Vi's angry force and the previously compromised wood caused the desk to collapse in a pile of dust and splinters on the floor. Vi looked shocked, staring at the broken pieces like she had lost something. Caitlyn offered her a sympathetic gaze, but Vi merely snarled in return and disappeared up the stairs.

"Heard that, Fat Hands!" Jinx yelled, clanging the chains binding her wrists against the floor. "Little clumsy today?"

Vi yanked the door to the prison cell open and stepped inside, closing herself in. Jinx was momentarily stunned, but her confusion was quickly replaced with a snarky grin.

"The only reason you're still alive is because Caitlyn wants to offer you a fair trial," Vi spat.

"Nah, she could've slit my throat if she wanted to. But you? You're the one who couldn't hurt a fly," Jinx retorted, straining against the cuffs to get as close to Vi as possible.

"The boat for Piltover leaves in fifteen," Vi said, ignoring Jinx's comment. "I don't trust you to follow me civilly, so hold still."

Jinx flung herself against the back of the cell, ready to dodge the moment Vi tried to inject her with the tranquilizer fluid again. Jinx was scrappy as all get-out, but she didn't have much room to move and Vi took up considerably more space than she did.

She didn't go down without a fight, though, and Vi received a painful bite to the forearm before Jinx was drooling and sedated on the ground.

* * *

"C'mon," Ekko whispered, rubbing the side of his Zero Drive and charging it up again. "Work, damnit!"

He closed his eyes and activated it, praying that the amount of time he put in would be the actual result he got. Instead, he merely transported back seconds, standing on his feet near the side of the street again.

He slumped back over to the sidewalk and sat down. Picking up a stone, he scratched another notch into the ground. That made fifty failed attempts. When Ajuna died, he completed an entire wall of tally marks before giving up. If the Zero Drive couldn't send him far enough back in time then, it certainly wouldn't be able to do it now.

Ekko buried his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes with his palms. Jinx was probably already on a boat to Piltover by now, if Vi or Caitlyn hadn't strangled her. He was sure she was causing all sorts of mayhem wherever she was being held, and if it were in the vicinity of Bilgewater, he would have heard her.

"It was simple, but the real payoff was watching the splash and not seeing him come back up."

Ekko lifted his head at the sound, his insides immediately squirming. There was only one voice who could make him feel so incredibly awkward, and that was Miss Fortune.

She was strutting towards him, a mob of sailors flanked on both sides of her. They were starry-eyed and skeptical at the same time, but it didn't seem to faze her. It didn't take long for Miss Fortune to notice Ekko, and she stopped talking mid-sentence.

"Hey, kid," she called. "Lost?"

"Not exactly," Ekko said, standing and moving towards her, feeling his heart race as a plan formulated in his mind.

"I'm hoping your mission went as successfully as mine," Miss Fortune said, tossing her head back and laughing, causing the men around her to laugh awkwardly in suit.

"Vi and Caitlyn took Jinx," Ekko said, his voice cutting through the laughter like a knife.

"It was a trap," Miss Fortune said, immediately understanding the situation. "I'm sorry, kid, but this time there really isn't anything I can do."

"Why the hell not?" Ekko asked, anger and fear beginning to boil away inside of him.

"Vi and Caitlyn just docked a boat to Piltover. It'll be long gone before I can do anything about it," Miss Fortune said, her expression truly apologetic.

"Good thing you won't be workin' alone."

A wide-brimmed hat stepped out of the shadows, a deck of cards splaying out in front of their eyes and then back into a leather-gloved hand.

"Sarah," Twisted Fate said, tipping his hat as a small grin spread across his lips.

"Tobias," Miss Fortune responded, her voice just as sultry, although surprisingly quieter than usual.

"Jinx is cunning and I like that," Twisted Fate continued. "If I can get you on that boat, promise you'll make as honest of a woman as you can out of her?"

Ekko nodded, knowing that Jinx and honesty weren't exactly the most friendly of pairs.

"What's your plan?" Miss Fortune asked.

"An old acquaintance owes me a favor," Twisted Fate said.

That was more than enough of a reason for Ekko and he practically stepped on Twisted Fate's coattails from walking too fast. Miss Fortune had rallied along with them, and Ekko was certain that the three of them could take out Vi and Caitlyn.

As soon as they reached the dock where Miss Fortune had reportedly seen the ship, Ekko saw the aforementioned vessel hoisting Piltover's insignia in the distance. His heart ached, but the tiny blossom of hope that was planted underneath layers of aged worry flickered to life.

"Don't step too close now," Twisted Fate said, holding out his arm and barring Miss Fortune from the water.

The waves lapped up on the shore in uneven droves. Bubbles began to pop on the surface and Ekko stepped back as the water rushed away from the shore. A creature, huge and green, emerged from the water with a bellowing laugh. An overwhelming smell of fish filled the air and Ekko nearly gagged.

"Well, well, well," Tahm Kench said, shaking the seawater off of him and twirling one end of his catfish moustache. "Tobias Foxtrot. Go by 'Twisted Fate' now, though, dontcha?"

"You owe me," Twisted Fate said, smirking.

"Owe you?" Tahm scoffed. "I'd like to think you owe me, savin' you from that wench."

Ekko and Miss Fortune exchanged a look of surprise, but neither dared to say anything. The eye contact that Kench and Fate were making looked like it was rooted in years of mutual, unrequited hatred.

"Even a gambler can win sometimes," Twisted Fate said, shifting his deck of cards between hands.

Tahm laughed again, loudly and fully, his stomach shaking. "Alright, I'll play fair for you. But there ain't no inch of this ocean that don't already know what you want."

Twisted Fate remained silent and it wasn't until Kench was towering over Ekko that he realized he was talking to him.

"I need to get on that ship to Piltover," Ekko said, staring Tahm Kench directly in the eyes with as much confidence as he could muster.

"Gamblin' like that comes with a price," Kench said smarmily.

"Name it," Ekko said.

"You're holdin' onto those goggles like that boy's soul is trapped inside 'em. If you focus on your past, the present ain't gonna come to fruition," Tahm explained, extending his fishy hand towards Piltover's ship.

"So you want the goggles?" Ekko asked, tightening his grip on the straps of the backpack holding them.

Tahm smiled.

"The entire reason for this damn mission was for Ajuna," Ekko explained, feeling the fragile strings holding his heart together beginning to tear.

"Then you would've hightailed it out of here and left _her_ to them," Tahm countered. "Tobias struck a deal. He chose power over love. He gambled with the dealer, and lost. You gotta choose now, boy. Past or present?"

Ekko didn't want to think about the choice anymore. He couldn't. He had spent his entire life redoing all of his mistakes. He didn't live in the present or in the past. His life was entirely spent in the gray area between both. But he couldn't choose that when other people were concerned. He couldn't keep going where Jinx couldn't follow. He wouldn't.

So he set the backpack on the ground and opened it slowly, hearing the whizz of the zipper echo in his eardrums. He lifted the goggles and planted a quick kiss on the frame. Then he stood with all of the confidence he could gather and thrust his hand at Tahm.

The goggles were swooped out of his grasp and Ekko felt his heart break. But Jinx was still out there. She still needed him. And he would have time to mourn when everything was all said and done.

"Fine choice," Tahm said. "I'll take you to the ship, one by one. Hope you like the smell of fish."

His chortling was the last thing Ekko heard before his vision was engulfed by darkness and his nostrils invaded by decaying seafood.


	16. Minutes and Mayhem

**Quick Info~**

Has it really been a few months since I updated?! Wow! I apologize to all of you who were waiting for this. Thank you for your patience and I hope that this last chapter does the story justice! I can't believe it's been over a year since I started this project. My writing has grown so much since then and I've definitely surprised myself along the way.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to review, favorite, or follow. You guys kept me going, and it wouldn't have been finished without your kind words and encouragement. I also want to thank everyone who read this, even if it was just a chapter or two.

I've got a lot of projects to work on for the future, but hopefully something League related will come into play eventually. ;)

So finally, it is my great pleasure to present to you guys the final chapter of Minutes and Mayhem. Will Ekko save Jinx? Will Jinx accept his apology? Will my lack of knowledge of aquatic vessels and explosion consequences be way too obvious? Guess you'll just have to find out!

* * *

"This is as far as I can getcha," Tahm said.

Ekko gasped for air, splashing around in the water like it was his first time ever swimming. A thick layer of slime covered him from head to toe, and he had to force himself to breathe out of his mouth to avoid gagging from the smell. As soon as the grimy goop was cleared from his eyes, he could finally make out the side of Piltover's ship, bobbing steadily ahead of him.

"Can't wait to get a taste of that Bilgewater Beauty," Tahm said, licking his lips and laughing as he dove under the water and disappeared from sight.

Ekko paddled over to the side of the ship, one hand over the other as evenly as possible despite the nervous pounding in his chest. Thankfully, the ship hadn't picked up too much speed since the start of its journey, so Ekko was able to reach it without _too_ much trouble. The trouble came, however, when he realized that the side of the ship was far too sleek to grab onto, and there was no way he could jump high enough to grasp the side. He could feel a faint burning sensation in his legs as he tried to tread water and he blearily looked up to the sky as if something in the clouds could help him out.

A thumping sound quickly caught his attention, and he squinted into the sunlight to find the source. Ropes hanging like garland lined the ship, briny and slick, but they were just above arms reach. It was his only shot to make it onboard. His only shot to save Jinx.

So he mustered up the remaining power in his legs and kicked almost violently against the water, allowing enough movement to nearly propel himself out of the water. When hands met rope, he nearly let go out of sheer surprise. But he managed to curl his fingertips round the rope as he struggled to hoist himself up.

Tahm Kench appeared shortly after, spitting Miss Fortune into the water and disappearing again for Twisted Fate. She quickly joined Ekko, climbing up the rope with much more finesse. He wanted to roll his eyes or make some sort of sarcastic retort, but all of the humor must've fizzled out with his energy.

"You owe me big time," Miss Fortune said, wiping slime off of her cheek and flinging it into the water.

"Agreed," Ekko said, grimacing.

The pair waited, anxiously clinging to the side of the ship for the arrival of their third and final party member. When Twisted Fate finally joined them, Ekko looked back at Tahm. He was smiling a devilishly catfish smile, but there was a glimmer in his eyes so foreign that Ekko nearly mistook it for pride.

"The dead already forgave your sins. It's the livin' that you gotta keep working for," Tahm said, bubbles rising up from the water as he began his descent.

Ekko nodded, wanting to thank him but unsure how to go about it. Instead, he decided to put his entire focus on saving Jinx and making Ajuna proud.

"I'll go first," Ekko said, reaching for the ship's ledge and pulling himself up.

He scanned the area visually first, hoping that Vi and Caitlyn were nowhere in sight. When the coast seemed clear, he jumped on board, steadying himself and pulling out his Zero Drive. He may have decided to leave the past in the past, but that didn't mean that he couldn't fix a few mistakes here or there.

Miss Fortune was the next to join him, her pistols already in hand and waiting to fire. Twisted Fate followed shortly after, tipping his hat to Ekko in his typical fashion and readying his deck of throwing cards.

"Find Jinx. Get violent if you have to, but make sure that's a final resort," Ekko said. "Alright. Go!"

The three split off in different directions, scaling the ship from head to toe. Miss Fortune had taken ahold of the steering wheel and was slowly moving them back towards Bilgewater. Twisted Fate manned the door to the Captain's Quarters, guessing that Vi and Caitlyn were inside. Ekko yanked open the door leading below deck and stealthily moved down the stairs.

"Jinx!" Ekko called, no longer caring about being cautious.

No reply.

The bottom of the ship was small and Ekko was sure that he had inspected every inch of it. Jinx was simply nowhere to be found. There wasn't even any evidence of a struggle or weapons of detainment. No shackles. No muzzles. No neon spray painted X's to signal her escape. Ekko felt his heart try and squeeze a measly last bit of determination into his veins, but he could already feel the hope beginning to fade inside of him with every step.

Jinx couldn't already be dead. Vi and Caitlyn wouldn't have killed her.

The boat lurched, and Ekko was thrown to the ground. He blinked in confusing, a familiar ringing sound drilling into his skull like a siren. The sound could have only meant one thing: an explosion went off on deck. He shook his head to try and regain his composure before jumping to his feet and throwing himself back up the stairs. Using the weight from his shoulder to push the door open, he squinted and blinked back the intensity of the sunlight.

The first thing he noticed was red—Miss Fortune's hair covering her face in messy curls. She and Twisted Fate were tied to the sail pole, their weapons scattered haphazardly across the deck.

The second thing he noticed was blue. Blue and braided, with hands pointing a gun straight at his head.

"Back for more?" Jinx asked, tilting her head and smiling.

"Jinx?" Ekko felt the rush of relief before the shockwave of fear.

"Surprised? You really shouldn't be," she said, continuing to smile at him in that creepily-innocent-yet-insanely-terrifying way of hers. "I've been dealing with the Fat Hands and Fat Hat for years."

"Where are Vi and Caitlyn?" Ekko asked, refusing to take his eyes off of Fishbone's barrel.

An idiotic move on his part, perhaps. It isn't common to stare down the barrel of a gun with the steely fearlessness Ekko was feeling. But then again, he supposed he didn't really think she would kill him. She couldn't. Not after everything.

Jinx laughed and it sent a shiver up Ekko's spine. "They're fine. Killing isn't as fun as tormenting. I'd be insanely bored without them. And since you decided to choose those stupid goggles over me, I needed to keep an old hobby or two."

"What are you talking about?" Ekko felt his feet move subconsciously towards her.

At the slightest hint of movement, Jinx fired Fishbones above Ekko's head. She wouldn't have missed. She was too good of a shot for that. And it proved to Ekko that she wasn't all gone yet.

"You really want to die, don't you?" Jinx snarled.

"Jinx, please let me explain," Ekko started, holding up his hands in defeat and praying that she would want to hear him out.

"But listening is for _losers,_ " she whined. "I'll think about it if you slide right between Miss Double D and Mister Moustache-io over here."

Ekko nodded, his eyes locked onto Jinx's, and willingly allowed her to tie him up next to Miss Fortune and Twisted Fate. As soon as Jinx tugged on the rope enough times to make sure Ekko was secure, she rested Fishbones on her shoulder and paced in front of them like some sort of deranged soldier.

"A ship heist is a new thing for me," she said, smiling proudly to herself. "Ekko, try to keep the mouth explosions to a minimum, okay?"

"Jinx, listen—" Ekko started, but was quickly cut off.

"I've got a few options. I'm going back to Piltover to show the precious citizens how much mayhem their sheriff and head enforcer allowed me to cause. But I don't really think I want the extra cargo. To blow you up or not to blow you up? _That_ is the question."

Jinx placed her hand on her chin thoughtfully, as if the decision was genuinely hard for her.

"I don't really care about you two," she continued, pointing to Miss Fortune and Twisted Fate with Fishbones' jagged teeth. "So I guess I'll let you live. But Weirdo, I can't offer you the same deal."

Ekko hung his head, physically feeling the pain that Jinx's heart must have endured. She was still in there—the Jinx he fell in love with. The version he was looking at now was merely a construct of her imagination to protect her vulnerability. But hearing those words come out of her mouth hurt him regardless.

"He messed up big time, didn't he Fishbones?" Jinx asked, turning the gun to the side and planting one small kiss on top of it's head. "Falling in love sucks."

"I normally don't condone violence, but if you keep Ekko alive, you'll just think about him forever. And you know what thinking does to you," Jinx continued, her voice dropping an octave as she mimicked Fishbones' voice.

Ekko watched as Miss Fortune and Twisted Fate exchanged confused glances. Undoubtedly, they were seriously considering their agreement to help Ekko by now.

"That's a good point," Jinx said, taking Fishbones off of her shoulder and aiming it at Ekko's chest. "I'll take your heart out so you know how I felt. Since mine was already smashed like a worthless little bug, it won't hurt me anymore to watch you explode."

"You're acting a little rash," Miss Fortune said, moving her body as close as she could to Ekko's, attempting to shield him from Jinx's bullets.

Jinx laughed loudly once. The type of 'ha' that made you feel like an idiot and a loser all rolled into one. "Step aside Missy, unless you want your face to match the color of your hair."

"Goddamnit, Jinx, listen to me!" Ekko yelled, feeling all of the hate and the guilt and the anger and the sadness come to a pinnacle in his throat.

"No!" Jinx yelled back, shoving Fishbones hard into his chest. "I don't give a fuck what you have to say to me! You chose goggles, Ekko. _Goggles._ And I chose you. Even though I knew I shouldn't. Even though I knew that every single damn time I love someone or something it betrays me."

"I still lo—"

Jinx shrieked then, her fingers twitching over the trigger. "You don't! I have to do this. Stop it!"

"I traded the goggles to Tahm Kench to save your life!" Ekko shouted, the volume of his own voice ringing in his ears as his last attempt at saving their skins, at saving Jinx, got swept away by the salty air.

Fishbones dropped to the floor and the clattering sound that followed made Ekko feel as though he had been shot. He opened his eyes, expecting to see some sort of gaping wound, but all he saw was Jinx. Her knees locked inward, as if it was taking all of her strength to stand, and her eyes so wide she nearly looked like she was a child again.

"What?" Jinx asked, her voice hardly audible.

"I promised you I wouldn't be the same as Vi," Ekko murmured. "And I keep the promises I make."

"Don't you lie to me," Jinx demanded weakly, sinking to her knees.

"I wouldn't. I _couldn't_. I love you, Weirdo," Ekko said.

The door to the Captain's Quarters burst open before Jinx could respond. A disheveled looking Vi and Caitlyn stumbled out of it. Vi looked utterly infuriated as she stomped towards Jinx.

"I need you to trust us," Ekko said urgently.

"I—" Jinx's gaze darted between Vi and Ekko, unsure whether to let him go or try and take on Vi by herself.

"Jinx! I swear I'll help you!" Ekko exclaimed, grabbing her hand as best as he could behind the restraints and giving it a tight squeeze. "For as long as you'll let me."

Jinx stared at Ekko for a few brief seconds before closing her eyes and taking a knife out of her pocket with shaking fingers. She cut the restraints in one fell swoop and the ropes fell to the floor at Ekko's feet.

"Glad you got over your trust issues," Vi growled. "But it's time for this little reunion to come to a crushing end."

Vi lifted Jinx off of the ground with her gauntlets, the golden metal clasped around Jinx's neck. Ekko reached for his Zero Drive, never taking his eyes off of Jinx. He counted down the seconds in his mind, an eternity seemingly stretching between each tick. Ajuna's face passed through his line of sight, along with all of the failed attempts at saving his life, and in the moment before he had to press that damned button and force himself to live in the gray area between the present and the past, he could've swore his saw Ajuna smile.

"Reversing polarity!" Ekko shouted, initiating the Zero Drive.

Jinx fell to the floor and Vi moved back a few steps. She took the knife out of her pocket and the ropes fell to Ekko's feet again, but this time he knew exactly what was coming. He lunged for Miss Fortune's pistols and tossed them to her. Twisted Fate had already retrieved his cards.

Miss Fortune and Twisted Fate surrounded Caitlyn, forcing her to surrender.

"I'm only here for the pyscho," Caitlyn said, rolling her eyes and lifting her hands lamely.

"Duck!" Ekko commanded and Jinx listened.

Vi's gauntlets grabbed the air, empty metal fingers colliding with an empty metal palm, and she swore loudly.

"We're getting off of this ship, Vi. _Both_ of us," Ekko said, motioning to Jinx and reaching for an explosive. He then turned around to face her, offering her the best mischievous smile he could offer before continuing, "I'm getting kind of bored, Jinx."

"Oh yeah?" Jinx teased, catching onto his plan and reaching for an explosive of her own.

"What do you say we make this a little more… _explosive_?" Ekko asked, winking at her and grinning.

"Way ahead of you," Jinx said, pulling the pin out of the grenade and tossing it towards the Captain's Quarters.

"The next one goes straight at your head if you don't let us go," Ekko said, his fingers hovering over the pin.

Vi laughed. "This isn't over."

Ekko shrugged. "We'll see."

"Ship's leavin' in thirty seconds," Twisted Fate called, lowering the emergency escape boat into the water.

Ekko and Jinx made their way to the side of the ship where Twisted Fate and Miss Fortune had gotten into the getaway boat. Ekko held out his hand for Jinx to steady herself while climbing in, but she didn't take it. Instead, she turned back to Vi with a bizarre look of longing, relief, and of course, mischief.

"Hey, Fat Hands," she called. "Looks like someone got Jinx'd."

Vi didn't speak, and merely left a single finger standing on end in response.

"Hey, you," Ekko said, sliding his hand up Jinx's neck and curling his fingers in her hair. "Can I get Jinx'd next?"

"You've been Jinx'd since we first met, Weirdo," she said, giggling and elbowing him in the arm playfully.

Vi and Caitlyn were dealing with the damages Jinx dealt to the Captain's Quarters. Out of the corner of his eye, Ekko could see Vi trying to snuff out the flames with her giant gauntlets and Caitlyn giving her orders. It was pure mayhem, and at the front of it all was Jinx. He couldn't help but laugh. Jinx at the helm of disaster. The way she always was and probably always would be.

So when Ekko leaned in for a kiss, he wasn't surprised by the way she pulled him in and managed to encompass all of his heart in her disastrous stride.

"Ay lovebirds," Twisted Fate called. "I'm not afraid to have Tahm come swallow you up."

When they pulled away, Jinx's eyes were bright and wide. Ekko took her hand and she hopped into the boat. He looked back for a second and, although she would never admit it, Ekko was sure he saw Vi give him a small smile.

"Back to Bilgewater," Ekko said, swinging down the rope and landing with a plop in the tiny boat. "And then Jinx and I will retrace our steps."

Jinx groaned and flopped backwards onto Ekko's lap. "How long will that take?" she whined.

Ekko smiled, brushed one finger against her cheek, and teased, "About a hair past a freckle."


	17. Epilogue

**Quick Info~**

So it came to my attention that I never posted the Epilogue for this. What? I have no idea how I missed it, but I guess better late than never, right? Thanks for those of you who are still reading this! Hopefully this will provide closure for the story!

* * *

"Just a bit further," Jinx said, dragging Ekko by the hand up an unreasonably large hill.

"If it's a dead body—" Ekko warned.

"Nah, I hid that one on my own this time," Jinx said, moving her free hand as if she were waving his statement away.

When they made it to the top of the hill, Ekko was in awe. The entire city, smog and all, of Zaun was resting below them. Quiet, grungy, and utterly toxic as it was, to Ekko it was also home.

When Ekko looked down, he noticed a single gray stone propped upright in the middle of the hill. Jinx was practically bursting with excitement beside him, and he walked closer to examine it.

"I know you gave up the goggles for me," Jinx explained as Ekko's breath caught in his throat. "So I made this for you."

In Jinx's scribbly handwriting, Ekko realized that the stone was an epitaph for Ajuna. She had messily carved his name, supposed date of birth and date of death, and the words "friend" into the middle. A single white Calla Lily was laying on the grass in front of it.

"Jinx," Ekko said quietly, unsure how to appropriately share his gratitude.

Jinx grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I know," she said.

Ekko nodded and bent down beside the tombstone. He picked up a handful of dirt and let it fall through his fingertips. He felt like he could breathe again. The weight and the guilt that Ajuna's death had left finally subsided. He could finally be at peace.

And it was all because of Jinx.

"Thank you," Ekko said, knowing that she couldn't ever know how much it meant to him. At least, not really.

Ekko stood up and brushed dirt off of his pants. He used his forearm to wipe his eyes and then smiled at Jinx. "You know, I still haven't gotten you that new gun."

"Looks like Piltover is in for a little visit then. I hate to admit it, but they've got pretty badass weapons," Jinx said.

"Looks like you've got yourself a deal… _Weirdo,_ " Ekko said.

Jinx extended her hand and, when Ekko grabbed it, this time he was sure that he made the greatest decision of his life.


End file.
